Turkey Vegetable Loaf

TURKEY & VEGETABLE LOAF 

W/ ROASTED DILL POTATOES 

& PEARL ONIONS

So much for seasonal.  At the beginning of the month the Chopped Salad post announced the first  spring craving, and today we had yet another snow in Chicago.  Now I'm actually worried about another snow day since I have a flight to New York booked for the day after final exams.

Thus, we'll retreat back to meatloaf and potatoes for what is hopefully the last stint of cold weather.  Well, its actually a meat & vegetable loaf and the potatoes are those petite fingerling type so there's nothing really heavy about this meal.  Mostly, I had ground turkey that needed to be made and the potatoes were too cute to pass up at the grocery store. 

I may have been predisposed to snatching up miniature versions of potatoes and onions after lots of delectable finger foods served up at the Peninsula Hotel's high tea.  That reminds me, if I ever get around to acquiring some truffle oil I'll need to try and recreate their truffled egg salad.

Meatloaf Ingredients (makes 4 mini loaves, or 4 servings):

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan, plus an additional 1/4 cup for topping
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground sage
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

 Roasted Potatoes:

• 2 lbs. assorted fingerling potatoes
• 2 cups pearl onions
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
• 1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. dill
• 1/2 tbsp. salt
• 1/2 tbsp. pepper
• pinch of dried sage and thyme

 Side Salad:

• 4 cups arugula
• 2 radishes, finely sliced
• 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp. whole seed dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

You'll need to start by boiling one large and one small pot of water, for the potatoes and pearl onions.  Either half or quarter the potatoes as long as they are uniformly sized.  Boil the pearl onions, skin on, for just about four minutes.  Boil the potatoes until soft enough to slide off a fork.  Since they will take much longer, peel the onions while you wait.

While cooking the onions and potatoes, use a food processor to chop the onion, garlic, parsley, zucchini, and carrots.  Mix in a large bowl with the turkey, egg, cheese, and seasonings.   Fill your loaf pan.

On a baking sheet, coat the onions, potatoes, and garlic cloves with the oil, dill, salt, pepper, sage, and thyme.  Put both the potatoes and the meatloaf in the oven at the same time.  Toss the potatoes from time to time as they brown.  Since I used a mini loaf pan, both cooked for about 25 minutes.  

While baking, make the salad dressing by whisking the olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic, rice wine vinegar, and dijon.  Toss with arugula and sliced radishes.  

When the meatloaf is done, sprinkle the additional cheese on top and put under the broiler to brown.