HOW TO MAKE MIREPOIX RECIPES

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°. Time to prep your veg! You are going to make a mirepoix, which is just a fancy French word for the combo of chopped onions, carrots, and celery that form the flavor base for a lot of European dishes. First, cut 1 large onion in half through root. Peel and discard skins. Finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl.
• Wash, peel, and trim 3 medium carrots. Cut in half (or in quarters lengthwise if they’re large), then cut crosswise into ½" pieces. (You can also just chop the carrots down into coins if you don't mind larger pieces of veg in your soup.) Add to bowl with onion.
• Chop 2 celery stalks crosswise into ½" pieces. Add to bowl with the rest of the mirepoix.
• Smash and peel 8 garlic cloves with the back of your knife. If any of them are left more or less intact after that initial smashing, give them another good wack with the back of your knife so they really open up and start to break apart. Add to bowl, also.
• Strip stems from 2 bunches Tuscan kale and discard. Wash if they're gritty or you really care about washing vegetables, then tear leaves into 2" pieces; set aside.
• Cut rind off of 1 small Parmesan wedge; set aside.
• Place 28 oz. canned tomatoes and their juices in a strainer set inside a medium bowl. (You need that bowl to collect the juice, which you're going to use later—don't throw it out!) Squeeze tomatoes and crush them with your hands while leaving them submerged in their liquid so they don’t squirt.
• Tear ½ loaf crusty country bread into 1½" pieces.
• Heat ⅓ cup extra-virgin oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium. Add bowl of mirepoix and 2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened but not browned, 8–10 minutes.
• Lift strainer full of tomatoes and give it a few shakes to remove any liquid. Add tomatoes (but not juices!) and cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the rawness is cooked off, about 10 minutes. Giving those tomato solids a chance to caramelize before adding the liquid back in helps to add a lot of flavor to the stew. (Remember: Reserve the juices, you’re going to use them!)
• While tomatoes are cooking, drain and rinse 14 oz. canned cannellini beans in the strainer you just used, then add to pot along with Parmesan rind, tomato juices, ¾ tsp. red pepper flakes, and 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
• Add kale in two additions, stirring often and allowing to wilt in between.
• Add about one-third of torn bread (no need to measure, just eyeball it) and cook, stirring occasionally, until coated and warmed through, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Remove from heat. Place remaining torn bread chunks on top of stew. Drizzle generously with olive oil.
• Transfer pot to oven and bake stew until thick, bubbling, and bread is golden brown on top, 10–15 minutes.
• Ladle stew into bowls, drizzle each generously with olive oil, and grate lots of Parmesan over.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° and grease a 9"-x-5" loaf pan with cooking spray. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 5 minutes. Add thyme and garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Turn off heat and stir in Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Let cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, combine vegetable mixture, ground beef, bread crumbs, and eggs. Press into prepared loaf pan. 
• In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup and brown sugar. 
• Brush meatloaf with half the ketchup mixture and bake for 45 minutes. Brush with remaining ketchup mixture and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the middle of the loaf reaches 155°. Let cool 15 minutes. 
• Slice and garnish with parsley to serve.