Meatloaf (Hugh Fearney-Whittonstall)

• 1000 gram(s) minced beef

Method

1. 30g butter
   2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
   1 bay leaf
   2 tsp chopped thyme
   1 carrot, chopped
   1 celery, chopped
   2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
   1kg coarsely ground minced beef (not too lean)
   300g minced pork
   3 eggs, lightly beaten
   70g coarse breadcrumbs
   200ml tomato ketchup
   1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   4 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
   ½ tsp ground cumin
   ½ tsp cayenne pepper
   A few gratings of nutmeg
   Salt and freshly ground black pepper
   
   Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and brush lightly with oil (or make the loaf in a loaf tin, if you prefer). Heat the butter in a frying pan over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions with the bay leaf and thyme for about 15 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the carrot and celery, cook for five minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes. Remove from the heat and let the vegetable mixture cool completely. Discard the bay leaf.
   
   In a large bowl, combine the minced beef, minced pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, half the ketchup, the Worcestershire sauce, parsley, cumin, cayenne, nutmeg and the cooled vegetables. Season well and use your hands to mix everything together. Break off a little piece, fry it until cooked through, then taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
   
   Transfer the mixture to the centre of the baking sheet and, with damp hands, form into an oval about 5cm high. Spread the remaining ketchup over the top.
   
   Bake for an hour to an hour and a half (the timing will depend on the shape of your loaf), until firm and cooked through. Leave it to sit for about 10 minutes before slicing. The next day, it's delicious sliced and stuffed into a sandwich – with more ketchup!
   
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