Creole Meatloaves with Buttermilk Sweet Potatoes & Trinity Gravy

Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray. Unfortunately, this is not your 30 minute meal...it takes a bit longer to prepare, but it's well worth it!! If you don't like spicy, skip the hot sauce. We like spicy foods...I added 2 Tbsp. to our trinity gravy and it was perfect for us.

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chinks

Salt

1 cup buttermilk

EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon plus more for drizzling

1 large red or yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 pounds ground pork

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

Black pepper

1/4 cup grainy mustard

1 egg

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons butter

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons flour

2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, depending on how spicy you like it

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

4 to 5 scallions, sliced on bias, for garnish

Directions

Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil, season with salt and cook to tender, 12-15 minutes. When potatoes are ready, drain and return to hot pot, mash with buttermilk to the desired consistency. Then, preheat the oven to 375°F.

Heat 1 tablespoon EVOO in medium skillet over medium heat and add 1/4 of the onions and half the garlic to pan and cook to soften, 5-6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool. To cool onions add pork, a palmful of paprika, thyme, salt and pepper, mustard, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix to combine and form 4 loaves 2 inches thick, drizzle liberally with EVOO and arrange on parchment lined baking sheet and roast 35-40 minutes until firm and golden.

To the same skillet, add butter and melt, add remaining onions and garlic, celery, pepper, salt and pepper and cook to soften 5-6 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the pan and stir a minute more. Stir in stock then hot sauce, thicken over medium low heat a couple of minutes then turn heat to lowest setting to keep warm.

Serve the meatloaves topped with the Trinity Gravy and garnished with the scallions, and Mashed Sweet Potatoes alongside.