Apricot Turkey Meatloaf - And Don't Forget The Eggplant

 Mm yes this does sound a bit odd, I'll admit.  (Or as a Brissie mate said: 'a perplexing mix'.  But I think sweet and sour eggplant is a thing :-)  This recipe started out in a magazine called Taste (March 2022 issue); the recipe is for a chicken, apricot and bacon meatloaf.  But I only had turkey mince in the freezer, and we don't eat bacon these days so ... baked eggplant slices it was.

I actually made the eggplant a day ahead of time, so it was all ready to go the next day.  It took quite a while, what with the slicing and the oiling and the baking ...  I do find it a wee bit irresistible I must say.  I don't know how people can detest eggplant.  What is wrong with them?? :-)  Just kidding - sort of.  Maybe it's like the coriander thing, where it tastes like soap?  In fact, Mr P. said he thinks the eggplant was a much better choice than bacon!

a tasty dinner

(Recipe adapted (a fair bit) by Sherry M.)

Serves 4-6:

ingredients:

For the eggplant slices: 

I used 640g./23 oz eggplant, sliced thinly  (see notes)

2-3 tsp sea salt flakes

4-5 Tbs EV olive oil 

(OR use 10 rashers rindless streaky bacon)

70g./2.5 oz dried apricots

enough boiling water to cover them in a heatproof bowl or jug

1 large egg

500g./18 oz turkey or chicken mince

70g./1 cup fresh or dried breadcrumbs - I used panko

40g./1.5 oz packet French Onion soup mix 

2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1 Tbs chives, chopped

55g./⅓ cup pistachios, roughly chopped - plus 1 Tbs extra to throw on top of the meatloaf

30-40g./1-1.5 oz apricot jam

1-2 tsp water to thin out the jam for glazing the top

For the salad:

1 bunch watercress, picked over - or green leaf of your choice

1-2 long cucumbers - sliced, diced or peeled into ribbons

2 spring onions/shallots, finely sliced

a handful of red grapes

a handful of pine nuts (or pistachios)

fresh parsley and chives, chopped

black pepper, to your taste

2 Tbs olives - of your choice

1-2 Tbs EV olive oil

Method:

If using the eggplant, bake the oiled and salted slices on lined baking trays for about 25 mins. at 190C/375F, till tender and pliable

Leave to cool, or put in fridge till the next day or whenever making the meatloaf

Put the apricots into a jug or bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soften for 10 minutes

Then drain 'em and chop 'em roughly - well, coarsely or whatever

And into a large mixing bowl they go, along with the egg, the mince, the breadcrumbs, the soup mix, the parsley and the pistachios

Get your hands in there, and give it a good old mix till well combined

Now grab a loaf tin (mine is 23x12x6cm/9x5x2.5in), line it with baking paper, and place the eggplant (or bacon) slices over the base and all around the sides of the tin, leaving an overlap which will cover the mixture 

Spoon the mixture into the tin, flatten down the top, then bring the excess eggplant over the top so you end up with a gorgeous wrapped up little baby

Shove her into the oven for 10 minutes, while you stir the apricot jam and water together in a jug

After the 10 mins., you brush half the jammy mixture over the top of your meatloaf, then back into the oven for about 15-20 mins.  Stick a skewer into it to check doneness! 

Brush the rest of the jammy mixture over the top, and throw on the extra pistachios (or pine nuts)

Leave to settle for a couple of minutes, then slice and serve with the salad

Notes:

I bought 2 eggplant which together weighed 780g.; then I trimmed them, and finally ended up using 640 grams all up, with a few slices left over

I luckily had some paper loaf tin liners in my pantry, which make life so much easier than using pieces of baking paper.  The original recipe called for using plastic wrap and shaping the mixture into a log, which you wrapped in bacon and placed on a baking tray etc etc  Nooooo ...

I ended up chucking most of the watercress to the birds.  By the time I had rinsed it, it was a soggy mess and life is just too damn short to pick over a bunch of watercress, my friends!

eggplant (baked)

ingredients gathered

ready for mixing

looks like a flower, or Audrey from the Little Shop of Horrors

after 10 mins. baking 

ready to serve

ready for the eating :-)

oopsie! this is when it was finished baking
(Blogger won't let me put this photo where it belongs!)

© Sherry M.

(Joining up with Marg from Intrepid Reader and Baker for Weekend Cooking)