Turkey and Root Vegetable Meatloaf

It’s been hard to get inspired to write today, and in the past few days. My thoughts are constantly drifting to the still-unfolding events in Japan. The media footage is almost incomprehensible. I will keep this short and sweet as I’m sure you are equally affected and don’t have the concentration to read too much about the merits of turkey, etc… I will just cut and paste a recipe from my Maggies Centre cookbook for you. Just a few things about  the recipe: we like it just as well as cold leftovers so do make the whole recipe for a delectable – if rather unattractive –  brown bag lunch. And, the bottle you see in the above photo contains my homemade spicy ketchup. I will post it at another date – once I write it up. Meantime add some smoked or hot paprika and a pinch of clove to a good quality ketchup for a spiky kick.

Turkey and Root Vegetable Meatloaf

If your experience of meatloaf is of dry flavourless ‘mystery meat’ with watery tomato sauce please give this recipe a try: I promise that you won’t be disappointed. I’ve made this protein-packed recipe lower-fat but if you need to keep your weight up sauté the vegetables in 3 tablespoons of oil, or serve with buttery mash. This recipe makes a lot but leftovers keep well for up to three days in the fridge, you can freeze some, or do what my husband would do (with any leftovers) and put some in a roll with ketchup!

What You Need

1 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil

1 large onion, peeled and finely diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 medium carrots, peeled and grated

1 medium parsnip, peeled and grated (optional)

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 ½, tsp dried thyme

1 ½  tsp  no-salt ‘chicken seasoning’ or 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp ground pepper

2  rounded tbsp tomato puree or ketchup

60ml/2 oz vegetable or chicken stock

1 kg/2 lb turkey mince

100g/3.5 oz porridge oats

2 eggs, beaten

10 g parsley, chopped

100 ml best tomato ketchup OR barbecue sauce

Equipment needed: large frying pan; chopping board; mixing bowl; 2 loaf tins, baking trays or steep sided baking tins; spoons

What You Do: In a frying pan, over a low-medium heat, sauté the onions in the oil for about five minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and parsnip to the pan and cook for a further eight minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the next five ingredients, cooking and stirring for one minute;set aside to cool a bit.

Put the turkey mince and porridge oats into a large bowl and mix together. Add in the cooled vegetable mixture, beaten eggs and parsley. Mix well; it will look quite sloppy. Pat the meatloaf mixture into oiled baking tins and cover with the ketchup or barbecue sauce. You can also form the mixture into a rectangular shape – about 10 cm/4 in high- on a well-oiled baking sheet. I tend to put it in the fridge for half an hour to firm up, but this is not necessary if you are putting the mix into a baking tin. Bake at 170C/340F for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a meat thermometer registers 70C/165F. If you don’t have a thermometer, ensure that the loaf is starting to pull away from the sides, or cut into the middle and see if steam escapes. Because turkey remains quite pale don’t rely on colour change as a test for doneness.

Serve 3-4 cm thick slices of the turkey meatloaf with mashed potato and celeriac, steamed dark greens (such as purple sprouting broccoli) and carrots, or red pepper strips.   Serves 10ish