Meat
Hawaiian Style Meatloaf and Mashed Potatoes

Some of the best meatloaf and mashed potatoes I've ever had was at Cafe 100 in Hilo, HI. It's pleasingly salty and a thick texture, and the potatoes are rich with butter and cream. (If you go there, be sure to order it "Gravy all Over," lest they only put gravy on the meatloaf and not the potatoes.)

I wanted to try to replicate it, but with a bit less filler, salt, and fat, and this hits the spot. It can be baked right away, or made ahead and refrigerated, or even frozen for later, and it works equally well in a regular oven or a Crock-Pot® (see notes).

2 pounds red potatoes or Russet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces 3 teaspoons sea salt, divided 1/2 cup thick nonfat Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons bottled ranch dressing 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided Cooking spray 1 egg 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons (or more) sambal oelek or other chili garlic sauce (optional) 1 tablespoon finely ground black pepper

1 cup finely minced onion (about 1 large onion) 6 (or more) cloves finely minced fresh garlic 1 cup finely chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley 2 pounds ground fresh beef chuck 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs 1 tablespoon all purpose flour 1/4 cup cold water 3/4 cup white port wine (any sweeter white wine or a marsala works equally well)

For the potatoes:

Place the potatoes and 2 teaspoons of the salt in a medium saucepan, adding enough cold water to cover the potatoes by about 1 inch. Boil until tender, about 8 - 10 minutes. Drain, add the Greek yogurt, ranch dressing, and 2 tablespoons of the butter, and mash until smooth.

For the meatloaf:

Lightly spray a loaf pan or other pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the worcestershire sauce, sambal oelek (if using), the remaining teaspoon of sea salt, and pepper, and whisk until well-blended. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley, and mix well. Add the ground beef and all of the bread crumbs. Mix thoroughly with your hands, shaping into a loaf that will fit your pan. Put the loaf directly into the pan - no rack is needed.

Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven for 1 hour. Let it cool for 15 minutes, and remove to a serving platter, reserving the liquid.

For the gravy:

Whisk the flour and water together in a small bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the reserved meat liquid and the wine, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture is reduced by about 25 percent. Remix the flour and water, bring the heat back to nearly boiling, and drizzle the flour/water slurry into the pan, whisking constantly, until it just begins to thicken. Remove from the heat, and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Top the potatoes and the meat with the gravy.

Notes

The meatloaf mix can be prepared ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a day or two, or freeze for later use. Thaw in the refrigerator before baking.

It can also be done in a Crock-Pot® (do not use the Slow Cook function of your Instant Pot® - the heat works differently, from the bottom rather than from around the sides - and the loaf will not roast properly). Coat the inside of the crock with cooking spray, and place the frozen loaf directly into the crock. Cook on low for 8 hours. Remove to a platter, and use the drippings for the gravy as above.

For a true one-pot meal, you can also cook the potatoes in the Crock-Pot® along with the meatloaf. Lightly coat each potato with olive oil and a dash of salt, wrap individually in aluminum foil, and arrange in alongside the meatloaf. Unwrap and mash as directed above.