Meat Loaf with Barley and Mushrooms

Ingredients

MEAT LOAVES

½ cup (100 g) uncooked barley

Kosher salt

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup (150 g) finely chopped onion

¾ cup (120 g) finely diced carrot

6 garlic cloves, chopped

5 tablespoons (75 g) tomato paste

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons barley malt syrup or pure maple syrup (optional)

1 tablespoon fish sauce (I like Red Boat brand)

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

Freshly ground black pepper

2½ pounds (1.125 kg) ground beef, preferably grass-fed

1½ cups (180 g) finely grated pecorino cheese

3 cups (150 g) panko breadcrumbs

TOPPING

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

1 pound (450 g) mixed fresh mushrooms (half cremini and half a wild variety is nice), thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (120 g) tomato paste

Directions

MAKE THE MEAT LOAVES: Put the barley, 1½ cups (360 ml) water, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the barley is tender and all the water has been absorbed, 45 to 60 minutes for hulled barley, about 30 minutes for pearled barley. If the barley is tender but there's liquid left, just drain it off; if the water has been absorbed but the barley isn't fully tender, add a few tablespoons more water and keep cooking until tender. Cool completely. Measure out ½ cup (85 g) and set aside for the topping.

Heat a small glug of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are quite soft and fragrant but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add most of the garlic (save about one-quarter for the mushroom topping) and cook another minute or so. Transfer the vegetables to a plate or tray to cool completely (pop them into the fridge to speed things up).

In a small bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, mustard barley malt syrup (if using), fish sauce, thyme, rosemary, soy sauce, egg, egg yolk, 1 teaspoon salt, and several twists of black pepper.

With your hands or a fork, break up the beef into smallish chunks and put into a large bowl. Add the sautéed vegetables and shower with the pecorino, barley, and breadcrumbs. Knead gentlyto incorporate the ingredients into the beef (the lighter your touch, the more tender the meat loaf). Now pour on the tomato paste mixture and knead some more to thoroughly blend everything.

Do a quick taste test by frying up a tablespoon of the mixture. If needed, add more salt or pepper.

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a sheet pan or other shallow-sided baking dish with parchment.

Shape the beef mixture into two 8 x 4-inch (20 × 10 cm) loaves each about 2 inches (5 cm) high. (If you're going to freeze one, wrap it well and freeze now.)

Set the meat loaves on the sheet pan and bake until just cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), about 35 minutes.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE TOPPING: Heat a small glug of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook slowly to toast the garlic so it's soft, fragrant, and nicely golden brown but not burnt, about 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, increase the heat a bit, season generously with salt and black pepper, and sauté the mushrooms until their liquids have been released and then been cooked off, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the mushrooms. Cook another few minutes, until they're nicely browned and starting to crisp around the edges. They will cook more in the oven, so don't go too far. Set aside.

When the meat loaves are ready, remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Spread an even layer of tomato paste over each loaf and then pat the reserved ½ cup (85 g) barley and the mushrooms over the surface, pressing so they stick.

Return to the oven for about 10 more minutes to nicely crisp the coating. Remove the meat loaves from the oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes so the juices redistribute, then cut into thick slices. It's okay if some of the mushroom-barley topping falls off; just scoop it up and spoon it over the slices.

Notes

Note: If you're only cooking one meat loaf and freezing the other one, cut the topping ingredients in half. Cook your toppings fresh when it's time to bake your frozen meat loaf.

Meat loaf made with a grain of some kind isn't anything new; thrifty cooks have long added oatmeal to meat loaf as a way to "extend" the more expensive meat. But adding a grain does more than save money-it helps to lighten the texture, so your meat loaf isn't a brick of solid meat. Plus, it brings a whole different level of nutrition to the dish. I use cooked barley here, but you could make the recipe with cooked farro, and you might think about playing with quinoa as well. Even though meat loaf is a classic "family" dish, I serve it at dinner parties, dressing it up by smothering it with sautéed mushrooms and more barley-for texture and because it looks fantastic. The recipe makes two loaves, so unless you're serving a crowd, only bake one and freeze the other one for later (raw, really well wrapped). —Makes two 8 x 4-inch (20 × 10 cm) loaves, each one serves 3 or 4