July 1, 2011

Harold Kelly from Melange Catering & Special Events shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make the following 4th of July themed dishes: cobbler lollipops and meatloaf cupcakes. He also demonstrates some great table decor ideas for at-home entertaining.

4th of July Dishes from Mélange Catering & Special Events: MyFoxHOUSTON.com

For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)

Melange Catering Meatloaf Cupcakes

Note: Feel free to use one of your own recipes for meatloaf. This is a pretty good recipe if you don’t have one of your own!

Ingredients
For the meatloaf:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 small onion grated
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 2-3 splashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

For the sauce:
See Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe

For the potato “icing”: (you can also use store bought)

• 3 cups boiled potatoes, chopped into chunks
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Prepare the meatloaf by combining all ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix until incorporated. Chill while you prepare the sauce and potatoes.
3. While the meat is baking, whip the boiled potatoes together with the half and half (or cream) and salt until smooth. You can add an egg yolk to really make it rich if you want. Stir in the melted butter. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip and fill with the potato mixture. Set aside, but do not refrigerate. If you don’t have a pastry bag with tip simply use a spoon to place on meatloaf when it’s time.
4. To assemble the ‘cupcakes’, lightly spray a cupcake tin with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each indentation with a small handful of the meat mixture, gently pressing it down until it is completely filled.
5. Spread a teaspoon of the sauce around the top of each cupcake, and bake for about 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler.
6. Pipe some potato “icing” on top of each cupcake. Put the cupcakes under the broiler for a few minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned, which is going to take about 2 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes.

Makes 12 meatloaf cupcakes.

Roasted Tomato Sauce

• 7 whole Red Roma Tomato
• 7 whole Yellow Onions
• 2 cloves Garlic, fresh, peeled
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Leaves of fresh Basil
• 2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
• 1 Teaspoon Fine Ground Salt

Instructions:
1. Cut tomatoes & onions into 2″ pieces
2. Toss tomatoes, onion, garlic, half the salt & pepper, & half of the olive oil in a bowl. Mix well & place on a sheet pan.
3. Place in the oven at 350 degrees and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Take the roasted mixture and put in the processor. Pulse the mixture together in small batches to prevent over-processing.
5. Chiffonade (cut into long, thin strips) Basil & add to the sauce and stir. Adjust seasonings as desired.