Variations on a Theme
Sure, meatloaf feels a bit like a utilitarian food, in that adding eggs and bread crumbs has historically been used to stretch a small amount of an expensive protein to feed more mouths. But with so many ground proteins available, the possibilities are endless, and the lamb meatloaf with Mediterranean flavors from this week’s Berkshire Eagle is a great example of the versatility of the “genre!”
LAMB IT UP
by Elizabeth Baer
Back in the fall we decided to purchase half a lamb from Off the Shelf Farm in Great Barrington. When the package was ready, my husband and I drove to the farm and picked up a large box with a wide range of vacuum-sealed packages, with everything from one leg of lamb to multiple packages of ground lamb and various cuts in between. Over the months we’ve been working our way through our stash, savoring the flavor of locally-raised meat, with deep appreciation for our local farmers.
We love lamb, and this wonderful stockpile in the freezer has also gotten my creativity going. For some reason, there’s a line that has always stuck with us from the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. In the scene, Toula, the lead character, is explaining that her non-Greek fiancé is a vegetarian, which, clearly, does not compute with her aunt, who replies, “OK, I make lamb.” I certainly mean no disrespect to vegetarians, or vegans for that matter, but this exchange does demonstrate how cultural differences can lead to serious misunderstandings. We may think it is obvious what constitutes a meat product, but then we get to the subdivisions among meat, poultry, and fish. Different cultures classify different types of food in different ways. Some food items popular in one part of the world would absolutely not be eaten in another.
Because lamb figures greatly in Greek cuisine, and throughout the Mediterranean region, I used a couple packages of ground lamb to create a meatloaf with flavors of the region, with a yogurt sauce on top inspired by Greek tzatziki. And like any meatloaf, after enjoying it fresh and hot, it makes a great sandwich the next day!
MEDITERRANEAN MEATLOAF
Serves 6-8
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups tomato purée or passata
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 pounds ground lamb
2 eggs beaten
½ cup plain bread crumbs, regular or panko
2-2½ ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped, or the equivalent in chopped dried apricots, about ⅓ cup
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 tablespoons tahini
1 tablespoon date syrup, optional
Several grinds fresh black pepper
1 cup plain yogurt, preferably not nonfat
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2-3-inch piece cucumber, preferably European style, peeled
1 clove garlic
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take a large baking dish (13x9 inches or so) and use a cooking spray in a line down the middle where you will place the meatloaf.
Place the tomato purée, 1 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, and cumin in a bowl or measuring cup. Stir to combine, and set aside.
Place the ground lamb in a large bowl. If it is very wet, blot with paper towels. Break it up a bit, then add the beaten eggs, bread crumbs, crumbled feta cheese, chopped dates (or apricots), parsley, pine nuts, tahini, date syrup (if using), remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Using your hands (with food prep gloves if you have them which makes it easier), gently mix everything together until well combined. It is also possible to do this in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, but the meatloaf will likely be denser.
Press the meatloaf mixture into one large mass, and tip out into the prepared pan. Continuing to work with your hands, form into an oblong shape, gently mounded down the middle. Remove your gloves, if using. Pour the tomato mixture so that a thin layer covers the top and and the rest is around the meatloaf.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour.
While the meatloaf is baking, make the yogurt sauce. Place the yogurt and mint into a small bowl. Separately, using the large holes on a grater, grate the flesh of the cucumber all the way around, stopping on each side before you reach the seeds. Press the grated cucumber in a bit of paper towel to remove some of the moisture, yielding about 3-4 tablespoons. Add to the yogurt. Using a garlic press or a Microplane or similar fine-holed grater, add some garlic into the bowl. Depending on your preference and the strength of the garlic, ½ clove may be enough, so mix, stop, and taste as you go along. If you don’t have this kind of press or grater, you can cut a couple cloves of garlic in half and mix into the yogurt. Let sit until you are ready to serve and then remove the pieces of garlic. The flavor will be more subtle, but you don’t want chunks in the yogurt.
After 1 hour in the oven, remove the foil and allow the meatloaf to cook for another 10-15 minutes, checking to make sure the sauce isn’t thickening too much or beginning to burn.
Let the meatloaf sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve with some of the tomato sauce and a drizzle of yogurt sauce on top.