Meat Loaf with Balsamic Glaze

Inspired by a recipe by Bobby Flay and a surfeit of balsamic vinegar.

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano
1 1/2 cups ketchup, divided
2 pounds ground beef chuck

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, boil 1 cup of the balsamic vinegar until reduced by half.

Meanwhile, whisk together garlic, eggs, herbs, breadcrumbs, cheese, 1/2 cup of the ketchup and the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in a large bowl. Add the meat and mix until just combined. Mold the meatloaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Whisk together the remaining ketchup and the reduced balsamic vinegar then brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake the meatloaf for approximately 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6.

Shrimp Bisque

1 1/4 pound raw shrimp
2 tbsp. butter
1 onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt

Remove shells from the shrimp and place them in a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover and boil rapidly until the next step is completed.

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over low heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and cayenne and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour and cook over medium heat until flour browns lightly. Add sherry, stirring quickly so that it doesn’t become lumpy. Add water, bay leaf and tomato paste and bring to a boil.

Strain the shrimp shells from the water and discard. Add the reserved liquid to the soup base. Simmer for 10 minutes to reduce a little more. Roughly chop the shrimp and add to soup base. Simmer gently for a minute to cook shrimp. Remove soup from heat and using an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add heavy cream and salt. Serve immediately.