For the past few years, I have spent three January weeks in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I wish I had discovered it sooner. I love it there. It’s wonderful to be an openly gay tourist there, but you don’t need to be gay to enjoy the weather, the food, and warm, friendly spirit. Fire Islanders feel right at home. You leave the cold, snow and ice at home, and after a too long plane ride, you almost feel as though you never left the States.  And if you have a hankering for good, cheap and familiar food, you can find it there in dozens of local places.

Set on a wide outdoor patio filled with tables, musicians, flower sellers, and beggars wandering through the dining area, Café Bohemio has a menu anyone would love. Get there early to get a decent table. Mind you, this was not authentic Mexican cuisine, but the owner Sol and his handsome partner Chris are ever present to help guests select from the myriad of tempting choices. A gifted food genius, Sol invents dishes from his talented whimsy. It’s never easy to decide what to select. There were cherry coke glazed barbecue spare ribs, steamed “Provencal” black mussels fresh from the Baja, and Sol’s unforgettable piquant meat loaf, as well as various homemade desserts. I’m salivating as I write this. The atmosphere is so friendly that diners at Bohemia often share tastes with other guests who are dining nearby, which is how I got my first taste of Sol’s meatloaf, the kindness of a stranger. It was wow! 

I confess I tried to crack the recipe, but then I wrote to Sol. So, with his generous permission, I share it with you. Here is a link to a detailed video of Sol making the meatloaf, so there is no way you can avoid doing this dish as it should be.

Meatloaf Bohemio (Serves 12)
Note: Copy this link into your browser, and watch Sol prepare his meatloaf.
http://www.banderasnews.com/0803/rr-meatloaf-melodies.htm

Ingredients:
3 lbs. premium ground chuck
1 cup catsup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1/2 package onion soup mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
8 ounce can roasted red bell pepper in olive oil
1/2 cup fresh green bell pepper–chopped
6 cups of green anchovy olives–chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
1 large red onion–chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato puree
1 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
Three large eggs
Three large red ripe Roma tomatoes--coarsely chopped
*1/8 cup catsup mixed with 1/4 tsp. mild yellow curry powder
*One tomato - sliced into wheels
 
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F
Mix all of the ingredients above except the last two in a large bowl. Mix well to distribute all the ingredients.
Mold the meat mixture in a large Pyrex baking dish, or a ceramic loaf pan large enough to hold any drippings.
Smear top with the catsup and curry mixture and decorate top with tomato wheels.
Bake for approximately one hour.
Let cool for 10 minutes - cut into slices.
Tips: Leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to eight weeks. When re-heating, make a small catsup-curry mixture, smear on frozen slice, top with a tomato wheel and heat in microwave for one minute. Variations: You can give your meatloaf a gourmet flare by adding 1/4 cup of Merlot or Sherry wine - you can also divide the meatloaf in half when forming mold and layer with strips of prosciutto, cover with the other half of the meat mixture and sprinkle some extra Parmesan cheese on top of the loaf and substitute sun dried tomatoes for the fresh tomato wheels. Voila! You have a gourmet meatloaf that goes great with a twice-baked potato or garlic mashed potatoes, some al dente carrots and green beans and a lovely glass of Merlot wine from Chile.

As always I invite you to write to me if you want any clarification or to discuss any cooking issues at all. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .