CookTeaser

Our friend Oxana, who has run Phil, Rita and Lucy Silvestri’s home and life for the past two decades, was the inspiration for this dinner. Cathie spent an evening with the family last week, and when I called, Oxana picked up the phone. I out of habit asked “what was dinner?” The answer was “Russianburgers”. They turned out to be oval-shaped Burgers made with a Meat Loaf mix and special Spices and served with Sour Cream. “Sour Cream, Is everything in Russia served with Sour Cream?” Her response was, “what’s better?” My recipe, traditional in our kitchen, is from America’s favorite Cook’s Illustrated, and if there was a Food Olympic, it’s guaranteed to bring home the Gold and a few slices for dinner.

INGREDIENTS

2 tsp Vegetable Oil
1 Onion, chopped in a medium dice
1 Red Bell Pepper chopped the same way
2 Garlic Cloves , minced
2 large Eggs
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1/2 tsp table Salt
1/2 tsp ground black Pepper
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce
1/2 C whole Milk or Evaporated Milk
2 lb of a top quality Meatloaf mix
2/3 C Saltine Crackers , crushed (about 16),
1/3 C minced fresh Parsley Leaves
3 Slices of Bacon (lengthwise depending on loaf shape)
кислая сливк Sour Cream (optional)

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Heat Oil in medium skillet. Add Onion & Garlic; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.

3. Mix Eggs with Thyme, Salt, Pepper, Mustard, Worcestershire Sauce, Pepper Sauce, Milk or Evaporated Milk. Add Egg mixture to Meat in large bowl along with Crackers, Parsley, & cooked Onion and Garlic. Mix with a fork until evenly blended and Meat mixture does not stick to bowl. (If mixture sticks, add additional Milk or Evaporated Milk, a couple tablespoons at a time until mix no longer sticks.)

4. Turn Meat mixture onto work surface. With wet hands, pat mixture into an approximately 9-by-5-inch loaf shape. Place on foil-lined (for easy cleanup) shallow baking pan. Arrange Bacon slices lengthwise over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking Bacon tip ends under loaf.

5. Bake Loaf until Bacon is crisp & loaf registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour.
Cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.