Mom’s (Haitian) Meatloaf
Serves 6
Few foods say comfort like meatloaf. That’s true even for a Queens boy who grew up eating poule nan sos and griyo. To hers, Mom added classic Haitian seasonings—thyme, parsley, and fruity, fiery chile—as well as pimento-stuffed olives. I do things only a little differently, using ground turkey, the kind with some fat, as a lighter alternative to the traditional beef and glazing the top with ketchup, which I’m just a sucker for. Eat the meatloaf hot for dinner, then try it cold the next day.
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
7 medium garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 medium bell peppers (preferably red and yellow), stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 pounds ground dark meat turkey
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, finely chopped
1/2 cup all-natural ketchup 3 tablespoons extra-fine almond flour
3 tablespoons Epis (page 296)
1 tablespoon umami mushroom powder, homemade (page 326) or the Nom Nom Paleo brand
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 cup drained pimento-stuffed olives, roughly chopped Large handful small parsley sprigs, roughly chopped
MAKE THE DISH
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 5–inch loaf pan with parchment paper so that it overhangs on both long sides of the pan by at least an inch.
Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmery, add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and 1/2 tablespoon of the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and soft and the peppers are bright and tender, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, egg, chile, 1/4 cup of the ketchup, the almond flour, epis, mushroom powder, paprika, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of salt. Stir well, then use your hands (gloved ones, if you’re worried about the chile) to mix and knead well for a minute or so to make a smooth mixture that’s all one color.
Stir in the onion mixture, olives, and parsley and mix really well. Transfer the meatloaf to the prepared loaf pan, smooth and even out the top, and cover with the remaining 1⁄4 cup of ketchup, spreading it into an even layer.
Bake until a thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 160°F (it’s the best way to gauge doneness for this meatloaf), 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let the meatloaf rest for at least 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to carefully pull the meatloaf out of the pan and transfer to a cutting board. Slice and serve.
