Skip to main content

Rustic French Meatloaf

4.4

(52)

Image may contain Food Meal and Dish
Rustic French MeatloafRomulo Yanes

This comforting dish marries the simplicity of meatloaf with the flavor and depth of a French pâté. Leftover slices naturally make terrific sandwiches, but they're also wonderful panfried in olive oil.

Cooks' note:

You can use a metal loaf pan, but the meatloaf will take about 15 minutes longer to cook.

Ingredients

1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a rustic loaf)
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound chicken livers, separated into lobes, trimmed, and rinsed
3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound ground veal
1/4 cup chopped prunes
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Accompaniment: Dijon mustard

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat oven to 475°F with rack in middle.

    Step 2

    Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl.

    Step 3

    Cook onion, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in oil in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

    Step 4

    Purée livers in a blender, then transfer to a large bowl. Add pork, veal, prunes, pistachios, thyme, eggs, bread-crumb mixture, onion mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and gently mix with your hands until just combined.

    Step 5

    Transfer meatloaf mixture to an 81/2- by 41/2-inch glass loaf pan (see cooks' note, below) and bake, covered with foil, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 165°F, 50 to 55 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Cover top of meatloaf with parsley before slicing.

  2. Serve with:

    Step 6

    buttered boiled potatoes

Read More
This skillet dinner is a delightful way to use up a jug of cider.
Protein on protein on protein. Great on their own or stirred into tomato sauce.
Sticky-sweet mall-style bourbon chicken gets a fall makeover.
This picadillo-inspired topping would taste good on a shoe.
The Thanksgiving staple makes for a stellar weeknight dinner.
Cut steak into cubes and suddenly it transforms into a quick-cooking protein.
A sheet-pan wonder with lots of crispy rice.
Canned purée delivers rich body and deep flavor, without the nonna-level cook time.