Upgraded meatloaf with a house-ground beef, pork and lamb mix

Trim the silver skin, connective tissue and excess fat from the lamb and cut the meat into one inch cubes.

Spread the cubes on parchment lined baking sheets and freeze until very firm, with the grinder parts frozen at least half an hour.

Grind each meat separately on a medium plate to hit 8 ounces lamb, 12 ounces beef and 12 ounces pork.

Sprinkle a packet of unflavored gelatin evenly over half a cup of store-bought stock, mixing occasionally until dissolved; set aside.

Saute the finely chopped onion and grated carrots and celery in a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil over medium high heat three to five minutes until just softening.

Add the gelatinized stock, let it melt and simmer everything together until the stock is cooked down by about half, then crush in the garlic and cook a bit.

Spread the mixture on a sheet pan and cool completely.

Blend the stale bread and dried porcini into fine breadcrumbs in a high-powered blender.

Whisk the eggs with the buttermilk, then add the soy sauce, Worcestershire and fish sauce.

Add the tomato paste, basil, parsley and the homemade breadcrumbs, then the cooled vegetables and their gelatinized stock, and mix into the panade.

Add the ground meat mix, salt and pepper, and knead hard; unlike a burger this mixture wants to be worked so it has structure and does not crack.

Pack about a quarter of the meat firmly into the bottom of the loaf pan so there are no gaps, pile the rest on and press, then invert onto heavily greased aluminum foil.

Bake free standing at 350F for 15 minutes, glaze thoroughly, 15 more minutes, glaze again, then another 20 to 25 minutes.

Rest 10 minutes before removing, slicing and serving.

Variation, mini meatloaves: same method in smaller loaf pans, cooking a full 10 minutes faster, with a quick broil at the end to set the glaze.