Meatloaf & Homemade Mash

📝 Ingredients

• 500 g pork mince
• 1 egg
• 50 g breadcrumbs
• 250 ml semi-skimmed milk (50 ml for the meat, 200 ml for the mash)
• 1 brown onion (about 150 g)
• 1 carrot (about 120 g)
• 10 g fresh parsley
• 4 tbsp ketchup + 1 tsp Dijon mustard (for the glaze)
• 1 kg floury potatoes
• 20 g unsalted butter
• Salt, black pepper, nutmeg

🍴 Utensils

• Loaf tin (about 25 cm)
• Baking paper
• Large mixing bowl
• Grater
• Large saucepan
• Potato masher

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line the loaf tin with baking paper, leaving it overhanging the sides so you can lift the loaf out without breaking it. In a bowl, pour 50 ml of milk over the breadcrumbs and leave to swell for 5 minutes: this is what makes the meatloaf tender.
2. Peel the onion and chop it very finely. Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side of the grater. Wash, dry and finely chop the parsley. The finer the pieces, the better the meatloaf will hold together when sliced.
3. In the mixing bowl, combine the minced pork, egg, soaked breadcrumbs, onion, carrot and parsley. Add 1 level tsp salt and some pepper. Mix by hand for 1 to 2 minutes, just until evenly combined: overworking it makes the texture dense.
4. Transfer the mixture to the tin and press it down with the back of a spoon to remove any air, then smooth the top. Mix the ketchup and mustard in a bowl and spread half of this glaze over the top of the meatloaf.
5. Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes. After 25 minutes, spread over the rest of the glaze: it will caramelise and turn glossy. The meatloaf is done when the juices that run out when you pierce the centre with a knife are clear, with no trace of pink.
6. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into evenly sized pieces (about 4 cm). Put them in the large saucepan, cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes over a medium heat, until a knife slides in without resistance.
7. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pan for 1 minute to dry out. Heat the remaining 200 ml of milk. Mash with a potato masher, add the butter, then the hot milk a little at a time, stirring until the mash is smooth. Season with salt and pepper and add 1 pinch of nutmeg.
8. Take the meatloaf out and leave it to rest in the tin for 10 minutes: the juices redistribute and the slices won't crumble. Lift it out using the paper, cut it into 8 thick slices and serve 2 slices per plate with the mash.