Tale of the plate: Cajun Meatloaf
January 29, 2024
AND BUTTERMILK MASHED POTATOES
Dish owner and chef Amanda Cranford shares her recipe for this comfort-food classic.
by Asha Ellison | photographs by Justin Driscoll
When was the last time you had a warm meal at Grandma’s house? Situated near the corner of Thomas and Central avenues in Plaza Midwood, you’ll find that kind of comfort at Dish. Since opening in 2002, it’s become one of the longest-running restaurants in the Central Avenue corridor. Here, chef-owner Amanda Cranford and her team greet you with the soulfully familiar sounds, smells and hospitality of home.
Cranford credits her Louisiana grandmother with molding her into a self-taught chef. Since purchasing the business in 2022, she worked to maintain the restaurant’s time-honored traditions while adding her own flair.
And it’s true; there’s a beautiful freshness in the air. Here, nostalgia meets you tableside, but she’s wearing shiny new shoes. Cranford’s main goal at Dish is to continue nurturing the restaurant’s connection to the community. As someone who perceives sustenance as a means to human connection and happiness, Cranford wants to create food that makes guests feel good to their very soul. It’s the reason she pursued a career in hospitality in the first place.
“I’m driven by community,” Cranford says. “And by cooking for someone, I [can contribute to that]. It’s the best part of my entire day when I get to have an experience with another person — give them some coffee, give them something to eat, and just have a positive exchange.”
When it comes to soul food, there’s one item on the menu that stands above the rest: the Cajun Meatloaf. At Dish, it’s simple yet savory. It’s also a childhood favorite of Cranford’s.
“There’s nothing alienating about a meatloaf,” she says. “The most beautiful thing about it is that the simplicity of the dish is what makes it good. You don’t need 17 million ingredients to create something amazing.”
For Cranford, it’s the time and intention behind the dish that make it special.
“My mom was a working mom, and she didn’t have a lot of time,” she says. “There were a lot of Kid Cuisine meals, but one thing she knew how to make was meatloaf. I always valued that because it was her investment of time that made it so special for me.”
And while a made-with-love meatloaf is strong enough to stand on its own, Cranford is moved by the memory of the dish paired with her favorite thing in the world: her grandmother’s mashed potatoes. “I can close my eyes and smell my grandmother if I eat those mashed potatoes,” she says.
There’s a beautiful thing that happens when two worlds come together — the blending of old and new. Cranford and the team at Dish continue to honor the past while offering guests the choice to “funk up” some menu items to experience them in a contemporary way.
For today at least, she shares what’s good and true: meatloaf and her grandma’s smashed potatoes — family-style recipes to hold you over until you can get to Dish (or grandma’s house) for yourself.
Cajun Meatloaf
serves 4-6
Ingredients:
5 pounds ground beef
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup ketchup
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, chopped onion, chopped bell pepper and spices. Work ground beef into the mixture.
Once blended together, shape the large meatball into a loaf. Place in a baking dish and top with ketchup.
Place the baking dish in the oven and cook for 35-45 minutes.
Buttermilk Smashed Potatoes
serves 4-6
Ingredients:
5 pounds potatoes
1 quart heavy cream
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup salt
1/2 pound of butter
Directions:
Peel and cut potatoes, then place them in a pot. Cover the potatoes with the heavy cream and buttermilk, then add salt. If the potatoes are not covered fully, add water until the potatoes are submerged.
Cook on medium-low heat until potatoes are tender. You should be able to break them with a fork.
Strain the potatoes, reserving 1 quart of the cooking liquid.
Use a ricer or a potato masher to slowly mash potatoes. Incorporate cooking liquid and butter into cooked potatoes. Salt to taste, and enjoy. SP
