HERB AND GARLIC MEATLOAF

(from Claire’s book: UNCOMPLICATED: TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF HOME COOKING)

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound (450 g) lean ground beef

1 pound (450 g) ground pork

1 small yellow onion, grated

2 eggs

1/2 cup panko crumbs or dry breadcrumbs

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons HP sauce (or extra ketchup)

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Mix the beef, pork, onion, garlic, eggs, panko, ketchup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and salt in a large bowl until well combined. Pack the mixture into a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan and smooth the top.

Brush the top with HP sauce.  Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until the blade of a paring knife poked into the centre of the loaf is hot to the touch.

TIP Breadcrumbs do a lot of the work in this mixture. They make the texture even and light, and help all the flavours to blend. It doesn’t matter if you use panko crumbs, unseasoned Italian breadcrumbs or breadcrumbs you make yourself.

MAKE AHEAD Mix the ingredients and keep the mixture in the fridge for us to 12 hours before transferring it to the loaf pan and baking it.  You can also cook the meatloaf, take it out of the pan, chill it, and reheat it any time in the following 2 days.  It’s also delicious cold.

BATCH COOKING Double the recipe and portion it into two loaves. Wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, then freeze in a resealable plastic bag for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then transfer to a loaf pan to bake.