Meatloaf with a Twist

 

I grew up hating meatloaf. Whenever my mother would proudly announce she had made a meatloaf, I cringed. What she really meant was she put some ground beef and seasoning in a casserole and baked it. When it was done, she set it on the table, and my brother and I got to watch all the fat from the beef floating in the casserole. Had I known more about cooking then, I would have recommended that she transfer the cooked meatloaf to a clean serving plate, leaving the fat behind.

Thanks to this early exposure to a dish millions love, I carefully avoided meatloaf until I stumbled on a friend’s Asian Meatloaf. It did not look or taste greasy. And it proved to be a dish that could serve 8-10 people. It also freezes well.

Asian Meatloaf – serves 8-10

1 pound ground pork

1 pound ground turkey

4 cups cabbage, chopped roughly into 1/2-inch pieces

2 eggs

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh ginger

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil + more for greasing large casserole

1 tablespoon dried coriander

1 teaspoon salt

Hoisin sauce

Begin heating the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all the ingredients except hoisin sauce in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

Spread 1 spoonful of sesame oil around the inside of the casserole. Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to the casserole and pat into a large oval. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees.

Remove casserole from the oven and transfer it to a serving platter. Spoon hoisin sauce over the top of the meatloaf. Cut into1-inch slices and serve. Offer extra hoisin sauce.

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