Maybe it’s my stint as an interim restaurant critic, but lately I can’t stop thinking about meatloaf. It’s not the sort of thing you find on a menu all that often. As a kid, I ate it on the regular at my grandmother’s house — a thick, ketchup-slicked slice, surrounded by a starch and a green, a good square meal in that classic, midcentury way. And now I’ve been missing it.
To celebrate the meatloaves of yore, and, even better, the glorious, pickle-shingled sandwiches you can make from them, I came up with a recipe for a turkey meatloaf, which I adapted from the Seattle chef Renee Erickson’s cookbook, “Sunlight and Breadcrumbs.” Seasoned with Parmesan, orange zest and garlic and drizzled with red wine, this is a robust, brawny brick that’s brightened by the fruity acidity of the wine, which also helps keep it moist.
If you can find ground turkey that’s not too lean — I used 94 percent, which is a mix of dark and white meat — you’ll get the juiciest loaf. Or feel free to substitute beef or pork (or a mix, which is what Renee does). Serve it hot from the oven, maybe next to a tangle of Craig Claiborne’s beloved generously buttered parsleyed noodles, and some sautéed kale for the squarest of square meals.
Featured Recipe
Turkey Meatloaf With Parmesan and Red Wine
If what you need is a square meal that’s pescatarian, how about starting with Naz Deravian’s roasted dill salmon? She calls for a pantry-friendly mix of maple syrup, dill (fresh or dried), turmeric and garlic for the marinade, spooned over a large, center-cut fillet. (If you use smaller fillets, just reduce the cooking time slightly.) This bubbles into a heady glaze as the salmon bakes, its rich flesh firming just enough to flake with a fork. Square it up with pretty much any side, though I especially like things that can go into the oven at the same time, like Ali Slagle’s hot honey-glazed roasted root vegetables and Lidey Heuck’s roasted broccoli, tossed with a subtle touch of garlic.
On the saucier, more chicken-y side, Colu Henry’s harissa chicken thighs with shallots is a dream to make in a skillet on the stove. Seasoned with harissa and cinnamon, the shallots practically melt into something between a vegetable and a schmaltz-imbued condiment to eat with the golden pieces of chicken. This one just needs a baguette to mop up the juices, and maybe a festive beverage to celebrate such an easy, midweek meal.
To end the meal, square or otherwise, I’ll give you a nice, round dessert: Samantha Seneviratne’s snickerdoodles. Rich with butter and spices, these cookies stay soft and chewy for a few days, which gives you plenty of time to dunk them in milk or tea or nibble them on their own. They’re wonderful tucked into a lunchbox, too — perhaps next to a nice, square meatloaf sandwich.
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That’s all for now. I’ll see you on Monday.
