Meathead's Turkey Loaf

Ingredients (for 4 meathead or 8 smaller servings):

• 2 to 3 red or deep orange color bell peppers, weighing approximately 250 to 450 g (or 8 to 12 oz)
• 560 g (or 1¼ lb) of ground turkey
  
• 450 g (or 1 lb) of ground pork
• 5 medium garlic cloves, weighing approximately 21 g (or ¾ oz)
• 1 additional bell pepper, any color, weighing approximately 140 g (or 5 oz)
• half a medium onion, or the equivalent (I used baby red onions), weighing approximately 140 g (or 5 oz)
• 1 medium carrot, weighing approximately 140 g (or 5 oz)
• 40 g (or ½ cup) of quick cooking, whole grain rolled oats
• 8 g (or 1 teaspoon) of salt
• 5 g (or 2 teaspoons) of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of Worcestershire sauce
• 30 ml (or 2 tablespoons) of dark soy sauce
• 20 ml (or 4 teaspoons) of Tabasco sauce

The Method:

1. At least 3 hours, and up to 12 hours before serving the Meathead's Turkey Loaf, wash the red-to-orange bell peppers, dry them, and place them on a shallow roasting pan.
2. Heat the broiler on high and place the bell peppers about 10 cm (or 3½ in) below the broiler (a toaster oven is handy for this step).
   
   
   
   
3. Turn the peppers one quarter turn every five minutes until their skins are blistered all over, and might show some scorch marks.
4. Turn the broiler off and close the oven door and allow the bell peppers to cool in the oven. Once cool, they can be used immediately, or refrigerated in a closed container until you are ready for step 12.
5. Approximately 2 hours before serving the Meathead's Turkey Loaf, take the ground turkey and ground pork out of the refrigerator, place them in a large bowl, and allow them to come to room temperature.
6. Heat the oven to 190°C (or 375°F).
7.  Finely dice the garlic cloves, or grind them in a molcajete or similar vessel, and add them to the bowl of meat.
8. Wash and finely dice the one remaining bell pepper and add it to the bowl.
9. Wash and finely dice the onion and add it to the bowl.
10. Peel and grate the carrot and add it to the bowl. 
    
11. Place the oatmeal into a food processor or blender and grind it to a fine mealy consistency.
12. Place the oatmeal into a small bowl and add the salt and pepper, stirring to distribute them evenly throughout.
13. Peel the blistered bell peppers from step 4, removing cores, pith, and seeds from them, and chopping them roughly into several pieces.
    
14. Place the peeled bell peppers into the food processor or blender and purée them.
15. In another small bowl, place the eggs, and the Worcestershire, dark soy, and Tabasco sauces, whisking them together to break up the eggs and mix the sauces in with them.
16. Assemble the meat loaf by first mashing together the meat and vegetables in the large bowl until the diced vegetables are evenly distributed.
17. Add the egg mixture and continue mashing until the meat mixture is evenly moisturized.
18. Add the oatmeal mixture and continue mashing until the meat mixture is evenly thickened.
    
19. Oil the bottom and sides of a 1.4-l (or 1½-qt) size loaf pan, and place the meat mixture in it. 
20. Use a fork to gently pat down the meat loaf, making a shallow cavity in the top.
    
21. Pour the puréed bell peppers into the cavity, and place the loaf on a sheet of aluminum foil (or a very light aluminum tray to catch drips) into the oven.
22. Bake the loaf for 60 minutes, or until its center reaches 100°C (or 160°F).

    

    Meathead's Turkey Loaf with soba noodles, kabocha squash, and a pickled cherry pepper

The Story:

Some of my recipes on this blog are a result of internet searches, and I always give credit and provide links to the originals, especially if my version is merely a sort of diabetic editing of a single recipe. For this meatloaf, I searched on "turkey pork meatloaf" and was rewarded with a recipe of almost exactly that title. However, I have changed so much about it that I am referencing it here as an exercise, perhaps an example of how we can be inspired by something that seems almost mundanely traditional—"My Favorite Pork Turkey Meatloaf"—to make a sensational alternative to an old favorite. But check it out; you might like the original better (but if you're diabetic it will not be healthier for you)!