Not Your Mom’s Meatloaf
Raquel Pelzel’s Balsamic-Glazed Lamb Meatloaf with Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Basil
Ingredients
- Drizzle of oil for the pan
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 12 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup finely grated Pecorino cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Japanese panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Instructions
Servings: 6 to 8
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet with a little oil and set aside.
Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan often, until the nuts are golden-brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small plate and set aside.
Use a food processor to purée the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, egg, basil, Pecorino, salt, pepper and the cooled toasted pine nuts. Scrape into a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs and ground lamb. Gently and quickly work together to evenly combine.
Stir together the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste and sugar until smooth; set aside.
Turn the lamb mixture out onto the foil-lined baking sheet. Form it into a 4- to 5-inch wide and 8- to 9-inch long rectangle. Brush with some of the balsamic-tomato mixture and bake, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes, until the meatloaf feels like a medium-done burger when pressed (it should be firm-ish around the edges and slightly give in the center) or reads around 150-155°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes total. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
