Meatloaf in 12 Steps

As a Canadian expat, living in these United States of America, nothing makes me feel all American than preparing this delicious and flavorful meatloaf. The fuji apples in this recipe keep the chicken moist. The layering of carrots, parsley and boiled eggs, add an aesthetic appeal to this meatloaf, and set it apart from the average monochromatic meatloaf. 

I am very wary of consuming preservatives, artificial flavors, and colors. But, nothing gets my goat more than high-fructose corn syrup. And, the sad thing is that it is everywhere, from cereal, to sodas, to breads, to ketchup. So if you can, please use a ketchup that does not contain high-fructose corn syrup, as it has the same addictive properties as nicotine. But, I digress. Give this recipe a try, and please share your feedback. 

Ingredients (in the order they are used):

Meat Mixture

4 tablespoons of oil

2 large yellow onions (thinly sliced)

6 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)

2 pounds of ground chicken

1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt

1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne

2 teaspoons of cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup of ketchup

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1 large Fuji apple (grated)

Filling

1/4 cup of fresh parsley (optional)

1 large carrot (grated)

3 hard-boiled eggs

Glaze

1/4 cup of ketchup

Step 1: In a hot pan, over high heat, add the oil. Saute the onions and garlic until golden. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, add the cool onions and garlic, ground chicken, sea salt, black pepper, cayenne, cumin powder, baking soda, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, bread crumbs, and eggs. Basically, everything but the apples. Do not overmix. Cover the bowl, and leave it to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Step 3: Next day, combine the freshly grated Fuji apple into the meat mixture. 

Step 4: Spray the non-stick cooking spray on a 9 x 6 loaf pan, and dust the pan with some bread crumbs. Have the three boiled eggs, a 1/4 cup of chopped parsley, and one grated carrot ready for the filling. 

Step 5: Spread half of the meat mixture in the loaf pan, and pack it down with the back of a spatula.

Step 6: Sprinkle parsley and carrots, over the meat mixture.

Step 7: Arrange the three boiled eggs lengthwise on top of the parsley, carrots and the meat mixture.

Step 8: Cover the eggs with the remaining meat mixture. 

Packing down to achieve a smooth even top.

Step 9: Glaze the meatloaf, by spreading 1/4 cup of ketchup over the top of the meat mixture.

Step 10: Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet, and put it in a 400 degrees fahrenheit oven for 50 minutes, or until the meatloaf separates from the pan and a bamboo skewer comes out clean. 

In the meantime, if you have any remaining meat mixture, you can use it to make burger patties, and freeze them for later use.

Step 11: When the meatloaf is ready, remove the pan from the oven, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Use a knife to loosen the sides. 

Step 12: Place a flat serving dish over the pan, and turn it over. And, dig in.

Disclaimer: This recipe is adapted from Najmieh Batmanglij's cookbook called 'Food of Life'.