Senshi's Apprentice

makes 4 to 6 servings

chicken stock | 0.5 cup

buttermilk | 0.25 cup

unflavored gelatin | 0.5 oz / 2 packets / 1.5 tbsp

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white sandwich bread | 2 slices | high-quality, crusts removed and torn into rough pieces

button or cremini mushrooms | 4 oz | cleaned

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anchovy | 3 fillets

marmite | 0.5 tsp

soy sauce | 2 tsp

paprika | 1 tsp

garlic | 2 cloves / 2 tsp | roughly chopped

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onion | 1 small / about 0.75 cup | roughly chopped

carrot | 1 small / about 0.5 cup | peeled and roughly chopped

celery | 1 stalk / 0.5 cup | roughly chopped

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unsalted butter | 2 tbsp

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ground pork | 12 oz | fresh

ground beef | 1.25 lb | fresh

eggs | 2 large

cheddar, provologne, monterey jack, or muenster cheese | 4 oz / about 1 cup | finely grated

parsley | 0.25 cup | finely minced

kosher salt | 1 tbsp

black pepper | 1 tsp

glaze

ketchup | 0.75 cup

brown sugar | 0.25 packed

cider vinegar | 0.5 cup

black pepper | 0.5 tsp

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mustard or ketchup | optional

Combine the chicken stock and buttermilk in a liquid measuring cup and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the top. Set aside.

Place the bread and mushrooms in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.

Add the anchovies, marmite, soy sauce, paprika, and garlic to the processor bowl and pulse until reduced to a fine paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Add the onion, carrot, and celery and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.

Heat the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foaming.

Add the chopped vegetable mixture and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until it is softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes; the mixture should start to darken a bit.

Stir in the buttermilk mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Transfer to the bowl with the mushrooms and bread, stir thoroughly to combine, and let stand until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Add the meat mixture to the bowl, along with the eggs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.

With clean hands, mix gently until everything is thoroughly combined and homogeneous; it will be fairly loose.

Pull off a teaspoon-sized portion of the mixture, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave it on high power until cooked through, about 15 seconds. Taste the cooked piece for seasoning and add more salt and/or pepper as desired.

Transfer the mixture to a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, being sure that no air bubbles get trapped underneath. (You may have some extra mix, depending on the capacity of your pan; this can be cooked in a ramekin or free-form next to the loaf.)

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum.

Transfer meat mixture to the baking sheet and form it into a tight loaf, removing as many air gaps as possible.

Cover the meat loaf with an additional sheet of heavy-duty aluminum and crimp at the edges.

Refrigerate the meat loaf while the oven preheats. (The meat loaf can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.

When the oven is hot, remove the meat loaf from the refrigerator and bake until just beginning to set (the top should feel firm to the touch), about 30 minutes.

Carefully remove the foil cover and return to the oven and bake until the center of the meat loaf registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 40 minutes longer. There will be quite a bit of exuded juices; this is OK.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 500°F.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and pepper in a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is melted and the mixture is homogeneous, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Use a brush to apply some glaze to the meat loaf in a thin, even layer, then return it to the oven and bake for 3 minutes.

Glaze again and bake for 3 minutes longer.

Glaze one more time and bake until the glaze is beginning to bubble and is a deep burnished brown, about 4 minutes longer.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes.

Slice and serve with any extra glaze and mustard or ketchup as desired.

For best results, grind your own meat. If grinding meat, use pork shoulder and beef chuck (or a mix of short rib meat and brisket).

Keep your hands well moistened when forming the loaf, to prevent sticking.

If you don't have buttermilk around, substitute it with more chicken stock or even water!