(serves 6)

Accompany this extremely tasty meat loaf with what else but mashed potatoes, and broccoli or peas. Hopefully there will be leftover meat loaf for sandwiches.

 

INGREDIENTS

600g minced beef (topside, rump or chuck)

400g pure pork sausage meat

1½ cups peeled and grated carrot

1 cup peeled and grated apple

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil

200g (2 small) onions (finely diced)

2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)

125ml (½ cup) Old Fashioned Tomato Sauce (page 120) your favourite chutney or commercial tomato sauce  

15ml (1 tbsp) Worcestershire sauce

30ml (2 tbsp) Thai sweet chilli sauce

2 tbsp finely chopped parsley

2 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves

2 tsp flaky sea salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

120g (4) rindless bacon rashers

 

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

In a large bowl place minced beef, sausage meat, carrot, apple and eggs and combine.

In a small fry pan over a medium heat place oil and heat. Add onion and cook until onion is soft and transparent but not browned.  Add garlic and cook a further 1 minute, or until onion is soft but not browned.  Remove from heat and cool.

Add onion mixture to meat mixture.  Add half the tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chilli sauce, parsley and thyme.  Add salt and pepper to suit your taste and mix well.  Cook a tiny ball of mixture in the microwave to taste for seasoning.

Push mixture into 26cm x 8cm loaf tin and smooth the top down with cold wet hands.  Pour remaining 1/4 cup tomato sauce over mixture and spread to cover.  Cut bacon into lengths same width as loaf tin and lay width ways, slightly overlapping, along the top of the tomato sauce.

Place in oven and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until cooked through.  Remove from oven and rest covered with a clean tea towel for 10-15 minutes.  If you wish pour off any fat juices from loaf pan.

When ready to serve tip meat loaf out of loaf tin and slice to serve.  A serrated edged knife will make cutting through the bacon easier.  Serve hot, warm or cold.

 

 

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

(serves 6-8)

 

INGREDIENTS

1.250kg (6-8) large Agria potatoes, peeled and roughly cut

½ tsp salt

90ml cream (warmed)

90ml buttermilk (at room temperature)

60g butter, melted and kept warm

1 tsp flaky sea salt

¼ tsp freshly ground white pepper

 

METHOD

Place potatoes into a medium size saucepan and cover with cold water.

Stir in enough salt so you can taste it in the water.

Bring potatoes to the boil, uncovered and cook until very tender 8-15 minutes.

Drain and mash with a potato masher while still very hot.  If they are not completely smooth push through a sieve to remove any lumps.

Pour in cream and buttermilk and whisk to combine.

Add butter and season with salt and white pepper.

Serve immediately.  Alternatively to keep warm for up to 30 minutes:  place in a bowl, cover surface of potatoes with plastic wrap and set bowl over a pot of simmering water.