There is no denying that meatloaf is the king of comfort food. Everyone loves meatloaf but is afraid to admit it. Trust me, before heading out the door your guests will be asking you for your recipe. This is my dad’s recipe, and I’ve been using it for years. This meatloaf was also one of the biggest hits at Cafeteria Restaurant in New York, where I was the chef. Serve this with Garlic-Chive Mashed Potatoes (page 237).

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　

Tomato Relish

Extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 onion, finely diced

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　2 bay leaves

　　2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced

　　2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, and finely diced

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　1 (12-ounce) bottle ketchup

　　1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　

Meatloaf

2 1/2 pounds ground beef

　　3 eggs

　　Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　3/4 to 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (2 or 3 slices stale white bread, crusts removed, pulsed in the food processor)

　　3 bacon slices

　　

Step 1

Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.

　　

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 350°F. This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef with 1 1/2 cups of the tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs in stages, starting with 3/4 cup; you may not need all of them. To test, fry a small “hamburger” patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.

　　

Step 3

Fill a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with the meat mixture and tap the pan on the counter so it settles. Flatten the top with a spatula and cover with another 1/2 cup of the tomato relish. Lay the bacon across the top lengthwise. Place the pan on a cookie sheet; this prevents the liquid from dripping and burning on the bottom of the oven. (I also recommend rotating the meatloaf a few times so the bacon browns evenly)

　　

Step 4

Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the bacon is crisp and the meatloaf pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side. Unbelievably moist!

　　Reprinted with permission from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen by Tyler Florence. © 2003 Clarkson Potter