bobby flay's turkey meatloaf w/ balsamic glaze.

I feel compelled to share with you an email I just sent my friend.  It, well, sums a few things up:

subject: putting my hope in meatloaf

E:
hoping the Bobby Flay meatloaf i'm making right now will somehow reverse the extremely annoying and taxing day i had with my kids where i was an extremely below average person and mom. 
 
sincerely,
A.

This is not to gain a sympathetic pat on the back. No no no.  I'm not here to tell you about having a bad day.  You've had many of your own.  I'm really here to tell you about this meatloaf because, really, it was the only thing I could think to do to shake off this day. 

Okay, now I'm officially pathetic and weird.



But this Bobby Flay meat-magic is really that good.  He takes meatloaf (why hasn't anyone renamed this food yet?) and blasts it with flavor.  From the garlic paste in the sauteed veggies, to the 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, the fresh herbs, to the balsamic glaze--he really isn't messing around.

Even if you don't need a meatloaf to save your day, please give this a try.  It's super easy and like most meatloafs, it's really just throwing a bunch of stuff in a bowl, mixing it, and then putting in a loaf pan.  I roasted some sweet potatoes to go with it and we had a little arugula side salad.  I feel like I can face tomorrow. 

Apparently meatloaf makes me dramatic.

A few quick notes: I usually cook this tented with foil for the first 30 minutes so that the glaze on top doesn't completely turn black and look weird and burned.  If yours does this, don't worry! It will look ugly but taste wonderful.  Also, the recipe from Bobby (Ijust accidentally typed his name "Booby") says to cook the meatloaf for over an hour but every time I've made this it has only needed about 50 or 60 min.  So maybe check it at 50 min?  The internal temp should read 160.

Turkey Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze:
From the great Bobby Flay

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.

Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Comments

[Erin]

also, i found myself in my own annoying and taxing day about 2 days after you did. i used the same remedy and i felt so so much better by the end of the night. (a little help from a bottle of smooth red wine didn't hurt either.)

[Erin]

i'm making this for our preschool potluck next week. i'm expecting more converts soon...

[--ginger.]

omg i'm making this.