This comforting dish marries the simplicity of meatloaf with the flavor and depth of a French pâté. Leftover slices naturally make terrific sandwiches, but they’re also wonderful panfried in olive oil.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs (preferably from a rustic loaf)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 lb chicken livers, separated into lobes, trimmed, and rinsed
- 3/4 lb ground pork
- 3/4 lb ground veal
- 1/4 cup chopped prune
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios (optional)
- 2 tsp thyme leaves
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Directions
- Preheat oven to 475ºF with rack in middle.
- Soak bread crumbs in milk in a small bowl.
- Cook onion, garlic, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper in oil in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Purée livers in a blender, then transfer to a large bowl. Add pork, veal, prunes, pistachios (if using), thyme, eggs, bread-crumb mixture, onion mixture, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and gently mix with your hands until just combined.
- Transfer meatloaf mixture to an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch glass loaf pan (see cooks’ note, below) and bake, covered with foil, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center registers 165ºF, 50 to 55 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes. Cover top of meatloaf with parsley before slicing.
Accompaniment: Dijon mustard
Cooks’ Note: You can use a metal loaf pan, but the meatloaf will take about 15 minutes longer to cook.
Serve With: buttered boiled potatoes
Recipe by Kay Chun, Gourmet; photo by Romulo Yanes.
