An easy meatloaf, adapted from a Jamie Oliver favourite. So easy the kids can help!
Ingredients
1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground coriander
12 unsalted soda crackers
2 tsp dried oregano
500g good-quality minced beef
1 large egg
12 slices of smoked bacon or pancetta
fresh chopped rosemary to serve(
for the sauce) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
400g tin of chickpeas, drained
800g tins of chopped tomatoes
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 heaped tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
Place the onion in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat with 2 generous gluts of olive oil. Add the cumin and coriander and fry, stirring every 30 seconds, for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden. Remove to a large bowl to cool.
Crush the crackers with your hands until you have fine crumbs.
Add to the bowl of onion with the oregano and minced beef. Crack in the egg and add a really good pinch of salt and pepper. With clean hands, scrunch and mix up well.
Move the meat mixture to a board, then pat and mould it into a large, rugby-ball shape.
Lay the strips of bacon over the width of the loaf.
Place the meatloaf in a casserole-type pan or baking dish, put it in the preheated oven then immediately reduce the temperature to 350˚F and cook for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the sauce, place the garlic in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat with 2 glugs of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until soft - about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chick peas, rosemary, balsamic and mustard and cook for around 15 minutes on medium-high heat, stirring constantly.
Using a potato masher or an immersion blender, mash the mixture until the chick peas are no longer obvious.
Slice the meatloaf and serve atop the sauce. Sprinkle with some fresh chopped rosemary.
Recipe by eat. live. travel. write. at http://www.eatlivetravelwrite.com/2011/11/les-petits-chefs-make-jamie-olivers-meatloaf/