This is Middle Eastern twist on the meat loaf phenomenon – I know what you’re thinking, why would we want a Middle Eastern twist on meatloaf when we can barely stand regular meatloaf. Please give this a try, it’s really good, and the look is impressive. It really puts all your proteins and nutrients in one dish with almost no carbs – and the flavour will surprise you. I don’t think I can sell the concept of meatloaf, certainly this Middle Eastern version of it, except to say try it and then judge; the only tricky part is finding pomegranate molasses (usually in plenty supply at your nearby ethnic grocer). I think you’ll be surprised.

Time:

About 65 minutes

Serves:

6

Good for:

• A “Working Man” meal – really filling and not too fancy
• Packs a lot of protein and almost no carbs
• Done right, looks very impressive when you slice.

Ingredients:

• 1½ kg of minced meat (beef)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped (in a processor)
• 2 small green onions
• 2 medium potatoes (boiled)
• 3-4 small carrots
• 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• ¼ cup Bread crumbs
• 1 cup of tomato paste
• 1 boiled egg (peeled and cooled)
• Salt and pepper to taste (about 2 tspn each)
• 1 tspn all-spice
• A little bit of oil

Kitchen things you’ll need:

• A casserole
• Saran wrap
• Food processor
• Medium saucepan (to boil the egg and potatoes)
• Aluminium foil

Making it:

• Preheat the over to 375 ˚F (180 ˚C).
• Mix the beef with salt, pepper, all spice and breadcrumbs, chopped onions and split into two halves.
• Spread one half on the saran wrap till it’s about ½ an inch in thickness into a rectangle.
• Slice the boiled egg and potatoes and place them along the spread meat.
• Add the small carrots (if they are two big cut them in half length-wise) and the green onions length wise, and season with some salt.
• Put the other half of the meat on top to cover the veggies and egg, and pat smooth so it long like an elongated oval from the top. Make sure it’s compact.
• Carry the meatloaf with the saran wrap and place on a casserole that has been slightly oiled.
• Cook in the oven for about 35 minutes.
• While cooking, mix the tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, a splash of salt and a splash of all spice and pour over the meatloaf after the 35min in the oven.
• Poke with a fork in a few places and then place back in the oven, until the sauce has solidified, reduce the heat to about 250 ˚F and let it cook for another 15-20min.

Tips/notes:

• You can put other veggies such as a small clove of garlic, cauliflower or buck choy for a twist.
• If you can’t get pomegranate molasses, flavour the tomato paste with lime juice and some steak spices.
• When you serve cut into 1.5” – 2” (inch) slices so that the slice doesn’t fall over the place and the veggies are solidly together.