“Christmas in a Sandwich”

Makes 1 Meatloaf

1/4 cup roma tomato diced
1/4 cup yellow onion diced
1/4 cup carrot peeled and diced
1/4 cup celery diced
1 garlic clove minced
2 TB olive oil
1/2 tsp dry oregano
1/2 tsp dry basil
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 TB dijon mustard
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 lb sausage (recipe follows)
3/4 lb ground beef
2 eggs
homemade or high-quality store-bought buns
mixed greens
cranberry compote (recipe follows)

Two days before:

Make the Sausage (recipe follows)

Day before:

Make the Meatloaf
Place a pan of water on lower oven shelf
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
Sauté tomato, onion, carrot, celery & garlic in olive oil over medium heat
Transfer mixture to a food processor, blend for 5 seconds and let cool
Transfer mixture to large bowl and mix in all remaining ingredients
Form into a roll and wrap in parchment paper, lay roll on sheet pan
Bake 45-60 minutes until internal temperature of 150-160 degrees
Remove from oven, let rest, wrapped, 20 minutes
Refrigerate, still wrapped in parchment paper, at least 8 hours or overnight

Day of:

Remove meatloaf from refrigerator and unwrap
There will likely be significant fat congealed on the paper, discard
Slice as needed
Place a small amount of olive or canola oil in a fry pan and heat slices
Split bun, top with greens, two slices meatloaf and compote

Sausage

1/4 lb ground pork
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground fennel (or use mortar and pestle on fennel seed)
1/4 tsp orange grated zest
1/2 tsp garlic clove minced
1/4 TB fresh rosemary minced
1 TB fresh parsley minced
1/8 cup dry white wine
1 scallion minced
1 TB olive oil

Combine all ingredients, in a large bowl, cover
Refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight

Cranberry Compote

1 16oz bag frozen cranberries
grated zest and juice of 1 medium orange
1 cinnamon stick
1 medium granny smith apple peeled, cored and diced
3/4 cup light brown sugar (not packed)
3/4 cup honey

Heat all ingredients in medium saucepan, over medium high heat, 30-60 minutes until cranberries break and ingredients come together

(Can be made a day ahead and reheated.)