Directions

• Over a double boiler, steam 2-3 small carrots, and 3-4 pieces of asparagus until fork tender.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine lean ground beef, Capital Italian Sausage (casing removed), finely chopped onion, parsley, oregano, tarragon, Italian seasoning, Montreal steak spice, and salt/pepper to taste. Put as much of each as you’d like, and even try experimenting with other herbs and vegetables!
• Combine the mixture thoroughly. Use a slow food processor if necessary, or use your hands. The better you combine the sausage with the beef, the better the meatloaf will hold after it cooks! Add 1-2 eggs to help combine everything into a giant meatball.
• Using a spoon or your hands, lay down a ½ inch layer of your mixed meat in a baking dish. Lay down a layer of chopped cremini mushrooms, and put another layer of meat on top. Repeat this process with your steamed carrots and asparagus (or any other veggies you’d like), until the meatloaf fills your baking dish. The vegetables should not be exposed on the top of the loaf, so try to completely cover them with the final layer of meat.
• Note: if you don’t like the appearance of the whole vegetables in the meatloaf, simply chop the veggies before layering them in the dish!
• Top the meatloaf with a layer of tomato sauce. Use any tomato sauce you’d like, and if you want to use Mariano’s recipe, you can find it here: https://youtu.be/dwqEGs13Srg
• Bake in the oven, covered for about 50 minutes at 375°F. Make sure the internal temperature is between 160-165°F, then uncover and continue to brown the meatloaf under a broiler until a nice color and crust is formed. The final temperature should be at least 165°F before serving!
• Tilt the meatloaf slightly and pour some of the juice out into a bowl or container. This contains some fat from the meat, as well as the juices from the vegetables. Don’t throw this away, spoon a little bit on top of your meatloaf before serving!
• Let the meatloaf rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the meat to firm up slightly and will prevent it from coming apart when you go to cut into it. Enjoy!