SC - non-member submission - Peroid (?) Meatloaf Recipe

[Michael F. Gunter]

Leanna asked:
> There are many things I cook well, but meatloaf isn't one of them.
> Today I
> made a meatloaf for a potluck.  Everyone said it was good, but I
didn't
> like it.  Does anyone have a good recipe for meatloaf?  Leanna - who
thinks
> they were only being polite.

Well, here is a maybe period recipe. I've been saving this recipe for a
meatloaf-msg file but it is the only one I have so I hadn't created a
file yet. Maybe I should. Anyway, here it is.

Some of you headcooks here may also agree with the feelings in the
second poem below.

Stefan li Rous (from my work account)

> Subject: ANST - Recipe for Finnish Meatloaves
> Date: Sun, 01 Feb 98 22:02:42 MST
> From: Gunnora Hallakarva <gunnora at bga.com>
> To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG
>
> Sael og heil!
>
> A number of people have requested the recipe for the Finnish
Meatloaves
> served at the Candlemas Feast yesterday in Bryn Gwlad.  Therefore I
present
> it here forthwith...
>
> LIHAMMURAKIPPERAS
> (Finnish Meatloaf stuffed with vegetables and cheese and wrapped in a
sour
> cream pastry dough shell)
>
> Pastry-wrapped meat dishes are a staple of many cultures, for instance

> Welsh pasties, shepherd's pie, the Greek spanikopita, Spanish
empanadas,
> etc.  Although I have been unable to find documentation for this dish
prior
> to the late 1600's, the widespread use of similar dishes in every
culture
> argues for the presence of some similar dish in the medieval period in

> Finland.
>
> Finnish meatloaf is a rich, high calorie dish suitable for feeding
those
> performing heavy labor in a cold and marginal environment.  It is also

> extremely tasty and a fine treat even for those of us in warmer
climes!
>
> INGEDIENTS:
> --------------------
> MEATLOAVES
> 1 lb ground beef (very lean)
> 1 lb ground pork (Owen's Country Sausage is good)
> 1 lb game meat (the Finns like to use hedgehog in this dish,
>                 venison or other game works well.  Alternately,
>                 you can just increase the beef and pork to
>                 1-1/2 lbs each instead.)
> 4 eggs
> 1 c. breadcrumbs
> 1 c. mushrooms, chopped
> 1-1/2 c. leeks, chopped (onions can be substituted)
> 2 tbsp. garlic, crushed or finely chopped (3-4 cloves)
> 1 tbsp. horseradish, finely grated
> spices to taste (I usually include salt, pepper, sage, dill, and
rosemary)
> 16 to 20 oz. cooked chopped spinach, wrung dry as possible (I usually
use
>                 two packages of frozen chopped spinach - defrost it,
wring
> it
>                 out and use it as is.  Note that any vegetable can be
used -
>                 it is more common in Finland to find chopped beets
used in
>                 this dish.)
> 1-1/2 to 2 cups white cheese, grated (Havarti is best, other swisses,
queso
>                 blanco, mozzarella, etc. will work)
>
> CRUST:
> 2 c. unbleached flour (sometimes I reduce the amount of wheat
>                 flour by 1/2 c. and include barley, rye, or oat flour
>                 for a more medieval effect.  You have to be cautious
>                 doing this as these other flours can be "heavy")
> 1 tsp. salt
> 1 egg
> 1/2 c. sour cream
>
> DIRECTIONS
> --------------------
> MEATLOAVES:
> 1. Combine meats, eggs, breadcrumbs, mushrooms, leeks, garlic,
>    horseradish, and spices.  Mix well.
> 2. Make a flat rectangle of the meat about 1" thick.  (It is a good
>                 idea to do this on a sheet of waxed paper, so that
>                 it is easier to roll the meat up later.)
> 3. Arrange the chopped spinach in a solid layer on top of the meat.
> 4. Sprinkle the cheese to cover the layer of spinach completely.
> 5. Start from one side and roll the meatloaf up (as though you were
>                 making a jellyroll).  If you placed your meat on a
sheet
>                 of waxed paper, you can use the waxed paper to help
>                 control the meat and to get it to roll neatly. Be sure
to
>                 seal the edges and seams well to prevent the cheese
>                 from melting out as you cook the loaf.
> 6.  Place the loaf in a shallow pan and cook at 400 degrees F until
the
>                 meat is cooked through, usually between 45 min to 1
hr.
>                 (Don't use a flat cookie sheet unless it has a good
lip.
>                 Beacuse of the pork and cheese, usually a lot of fat
will
>                 cook out and the pan needs to catch it.  Also monitor
the
>                 cooking process closely -- the fat can and will smoke
badly
>                 and can catch on fire.)
> 7. Set loaf aside to cool.
>
> CRUST:
> 1. Combine flour and salt.  Cut in butter to form fine flakes.
> 2. Add egg and sour cream.  You may also need 1-2 tsp. water to form
>                 a manageable dough.
> 3. Turn out onto floured surface and roll into a sheet twice the width
of
> the
>                 meatloaf and about 4" longer than the loaf.
> 4. Place the meatloaf in the center of the sheet of dough.  Wrap the
dough
>                 around the loaf.  Dampen the edges at the seams so
they
>                 will seal well.
> 5. Place the pastry-wrapped loaf in a greased shallow pan (you may
have
>                 yet more fat cook out) with the seam down.
> 6. Brush the pastry shell with beaten egg.  (This helps the pastry
brown
> nicely.)
> 7. Take any leftover scraps of dough and form decorations for the
loaf.
>                 I usually will make a criss-cross lattice, or else
will do
>                 pictoral scenes using dough cutouts.  Brush the
decorations
>                 with egg also.
> 8. Bake at 375 degrees F until the crust is golden brown, usually 25
to 30
> min.
>
> Serve hot or at room temperature.  Cut slices across the loaf to show
the
> swirled layers.  Serve with a hearty dollop of sour cream mixed with
> chopped fresh dill.  Since this meatloaf is very rich, an average
serving
> is based on slices 1" to 2" thick, yielding 18 to 36 servings per
meatloaf.
>
> SUGGESTIONS:
> The meatloaves freeze well (prior to adding the crust)-- it is often a
good
> idea to make a few and freeze them, then on the day you want to serve
the
> meatloaf, defrost the meat, add the crust, cook and serve.  This is
good
> for a quick dinner - set the meatloaf out to defrost in the morning
and all
> you have to do is prepare and cook the crust.
>
> Finnish meatloaf is an outstanding tourney food, as it is good cold.
I
> often make many small loaves, 4"x2" or 6"x3" and then the day before
the
> event add the crusts.  They keep in the icechest and can be eaten "on
the
> go" during the event without further preparation, with or without the
> sourcream and dill sauce.
>
> A variant on this dish can be made using leftovers, including leftover

> meats.  Chop the meat very fine and add extra eggs to bind the loaf.
Any
> leftover veggies can be added in the center of the loaf.  This makes
> leftovers seem very special!
>
> If I am pressed for time, lacking ingredients, or for whatever reason
don't
> want to make the sour cream crust, I have successfully substituted
Bisquick
> dough for the shell.  It is not as rich or tasty, but still quite
good.
> ------------------------------
> At this year's Candlemas Feast in Bryn Gwlad, each course was heralded
by a
> special performance presentation as the head table was served the
dish.
> Mistress Mari graciously agreed to make the presentation of the
Finnish
> meatloaves, performing the following poem to drum accompanyment by
Master
> Cynric of Bedwyn.
>
> BEOLOAF
> A presentation poem for the Candlemas Feast in Saxon style
> composed and performed by Chieftess Mari ferch Rathyen
>
> "Bring meat to us!" the baron bade,
> "Our guests to feast with noble fare!"
> Like grim Skadi, skillful huntress,
> Gunnora dressed and gathered hard weapons,
> Hunting the woods for horned stag.
> Cruel barbs flew straight and bright blood burst.
> Crimson haunches she hauled to larder.
> Then flashed the cleaver, cutting and hacking,
> Grinding the flesh of the forest king.
> Cream from the cow with a look she curdled,
> Then finest flour she flung to breadboard,
> Punching and pounding the proud dough down.
> With cross curses and cookpots flying
> At quivering thralls, her quest she completed.
> Now find fare from Karelian forests.
> We serve before you meatloaves fashioned
> In sour cream crust, crowned with gold,
> Burnished by fire, food of Finland.
>
> ------------------------------
> I received the following poem about the Finnish meatloaves from Master

> Godwin Alfricsson while I was in the process of preparing Finnish
> meatloaves to feed 300.  I laughed so hard I cried.
>
> SIXTEEN LOAVES
> by Master Godwin Alfricsson
> Sing to the tune of "SIXTEEN TONS"
>
> Some people say the SCA's nothin' but fun,
> But Gunnora's thinking, "Now WHAT have I DONE!?!"
> Candlemas wants her to cook up some food-
> SIXTEEN meat loaves, well that ought to do!
>
> REFRAIN:
> She's baking Sixteen Loaves, an what'll she get?
>     Hands all greasy, and a kitchen that's messed.
> Featocrat don't bug her or else she won't go...
>         she owes her soul to the wood burning stove.
>
> When she took up the challenge, she thought three loaves would be
fine.
> Now they expect her to change water to wine!
> Sixteen Loaves, or Water to Wine?
> It makes no difference, cause they BOTH suck up time...
>
> (refrain)
>
> She awoke one morning, near Candlemas eve,
> this task that they gave her made her want to heave.
> Making Sixteen Loaves is a lot to do-
> But they're FINNISH meat loaves
> Now she's gotta make the dough too.
>
> (refrain)
>
> On Candlemas morning (never going to bed),
> She picked up the meat loaves (although feeling "dead")
> She put them on the wagon and she drove away-
> The Feastocrat, wisely, just stayed out of her way.
>
> (refrain- revised)
> She brought 'em Sixteen Meat Loaves,
> What'll she get? Probably an invitation to help clean up the event.
> "Fellows don't you call me, because I've got to go-
> I'm using my mace to break up that DAMN stove!
> ----------------------
> Enjoy, all!
>
> W$B%;(Js $B!+(Ju H$B%;(Jl (Waes Thu Hael)
>
> ::GUNNORA::
>
> Gunnora Hallakarva
> Herskerinde