DOGGY MEATLOAF BIRTHDAY “CAKE” FOR BIG 15TH

Ingredients

MEATLOAF CAKE:
• 1 cup (75 grams) diced broccoli
• 1/4 cup (40 rams) diced carrot
• 1 shallot, peeled (PLEASE READ NOTE)
• 1 clove garlic, smashed (PLEASE READ NOTE)
• 9.2 oz (260 grams) skinless/boneless chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
• 9.2 oz (260 grams) lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup (86 grams) cooked white rice
• 3/4 cup (82 grams) quick-cooking oats
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 tbsp (20 grams) safflower oil, or flaxseed oil
• 1 tbsp (14 grams) toasted sesame oil
MASHED POTATO "FROSTING":
• 2 large (580 grams after peel) starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 3 tbsp (42 grams) unsalted butter

Instructions

1. TO MAKE THE MEATLOAF CAKE: Preheat the oven on 350 F/175 C. In a food-processor, pulse and run broccoli, carrot, shallot and garlic until finely minced, then set aside in another bowl. Add the skinless/boneless chicken thighs to the food-processor, and pulse/run until it's evenly and smoothly ground and sticky (you may have to scrape the sides and bottom a couple times). Now add the ground beef and cooked white rice, then run the processor again for about 1 min until the mixture is paste-like and sticky again. This step strengthens the bondage between protein and water, reducing the amount of moisture the "cake" will lose during baking. Now add the quick-cooking oat and the large egg, and run for another min for the same effect. Then add the safflower oil (or flaxseed oil) and toasted sesame oil, and run for another min. Now add the minced vegetables back to the food-processor, and pulse until evenly combined.
2. Line a 5 1/2" (18 cm) round cake-pan with parchment, then transfer the mixture inside, pressing it down gently and smooth the top. Bake in the oven for 45 ~ 50 min an inserted wooden skewer comes out clean (or until the internal temperature reaches 160 F/71 C). Remove from the pan and set aside on a cooling rack for 30 min, or until cool enough to handle.
3. TO MAKE THE POTATO "FROSTING": While the cake is baking, make the "frosting". In a large pot, add enough cold water until it covers the diced potatoes, then bring to a gentle boil, and cook until a pairing knife can be easily inserted into the potatoes, approx 10~15 min. Drain the potatoes and return to the hot pot for 10 min so excess moisture can evaporate. Transfer to a cleaned food-processor along with unsalted butter, then pulse/run until the potatoes are smoothly pureed. The food-processor will make the mashed potato a bit sticky and gummy, which is exactly the kind of support we want for the cake as a frosting. And guess what, dogs don't care about gumminess.
4. TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE: With a long serrated knife, cut the meatloaf-cake horizontally into 3 layers. Smear a thin layer of potato-frosting in between each meatloaf-layers, then stack them up. Then cover the exterior surface evenly with the rest of the potato-frosting. It can be as rustic or as refined as you like. If you want a smooth surface like this one, you can lightly oil the surface of a butter knife, then gently drag it across the surface to smooth it (apply more oil to the knife as needed). Decorate the cake with chive flowers like I did, or with doggy biscuits and whatever your dog loves. Then don't torture your dogs any further. Let them have at it immediately.

Notes