Middle-earth Menu: “Brandywine Meatloaf”

By Astrid Tuttle Winegar

Frodo Baggins might be smiling because he’s about to permanently visit the Grey Havens, but he could just as well be wistfully smiling about this mushroom-stuffed meatloaf.

I’ve been a fan of Elijah Wood since he debuted in Back to the Future Part II (1989), playing a rather snotty kid picking on Marty McFly. I’m glad he hasn’t ended up typecast as a hobbit, however, and he’s had quite a variety of roles. I think his creepiest was definitely in Sin City. But, I was thinking that he has definitely been typecast as the troubled young man who has a faithful sidekick—first there was Wilfred and recently there was Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency… Hold on—everything IS connected! What’s your favorite Elijah Wood role?

Please follow this link to my blog for the Savory Seasoning recipe! Or, I’ll make you a batch—head over to my Etsy Shop Elegant Sufficiencies and order your own: Savory Seasoning in a Jar or (the cheaper version) Savory Seasoning in a Ziploc Bag.

“Brandywine Meatloaf”

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced rather thinly

¼ cup cognac

½ teaspoon “Shire” Seasoning (Savory Seasoning; see above links)

1 pound ground beef sirloin

½ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs

½ cup minced onion

1 extra large egg

½ cup half-and-half

½ cup minced fresh parsley (or 2 tablespoons dry parsley)

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage (or 2 teaspoons dry sage)

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon each:

salt

pepper

minced garlic

In a large skillet, melt the butter over high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes. Add the cognac and cook over fairly high heat until most of the liquid evaporates, about 5-10 minutes. Add the “Shire” Seasoning; combine and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°. Coat an 8½” by 4½” glass loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with your hands until thoroughly mixed. Gently mix in the mushrooms. Put in the loaf pan and press down. Smooth top and bake 1 hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 160-165° in the center. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Cover and refrigerate leftovers. Serves 6-8.

This is known as “Mellow Mushroom Meatloaf” in my cookbook.

Astrid Tuttle Winegar is the author of Cooking for Halflings & Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls, which is now available from Oloris Publishing and Amazon! For now, she is mostly telling a culinary Middle-earth story here on Legendarium. Astrid has loved C. S. Lewis since childhood, J. R. R. Tolkien since middle and high school, all Star things, both Trek and Wars, all things Whedon, and many other things besides… She lives in the enchanted city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her husband and dog. Visit her website for more information: Astrid Tuttle Winegar | Cooking for Halflings & Monsters. Staff Reporter.