2 fat, long loaves French bread
8 oz. bulk pork sausage
8 oz. ground beef chuck
1 med.-size yellow onion, diced
1 egg
1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/4 c. Italian parsley, chopped, fresh
1/4 tsp. fennel seeds
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut off ends of loaves and hollow out with fingers. Process soft bread in a food processor fitted with a steel blade to coarse crumbs. Reserve bread ends. Brown sausage in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add beef and onion and cook until beef is lightly browned. Combine bread crumbs, meat mixture, egg, mustard, parsley, fennel, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into bread shells; attach bread ends with small skewers.

Melt butter over medium heat and stir in garlic. Saute for 30 seconds, then brush loaves with garlic butter and wrap in separate pieces of aluminum foil, leaving foil open slightly at top. Bake until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Cut into 1 inch slices for hors d'oeuvres or cut each loaf into 4 pieces for main course servings.