Meat Loaf

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped leeks white and leight green part only
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped fennel
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tblsp chopped garlic
1 kg. ground beef
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup chopped watercress
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups stock (beef or chicken)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks, shallots, carrots, and fennel and saute gently for 8 minutes or until softened. Raise heat to medium-high and add mushrooms, thyme and parsley. Saute for 1 minute and add garlic. Cook for 1 minute longer or until mushrooms have released their juices. Season with salt and pepper.

Place beef in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir in mushroom mixture, mustard, soy sauce, watercress and breadcrumbs.

Oil a metal baking dish. Shape meat inot a loaf about 10 inches long by 4 inches wide and 2 inches high. Toss onions with olive oil and scatter around meat loaf in the pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until meatloaf is firm to the touch and just cooked through.

Carefully remove meat loaf from pan and keep warm. Place pan on the stove over medium heat. Sprinkle flour over onions and drippings and cook for 3 minutes or until glour is lightly golden. Add stock and bring to a boil, stirring to combine. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Add balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the meat loaf. Serves 4 to 6.

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LEESPPP.