Sun-Dried, Turkey Meat Loaf with Red Currant-Wine Sauce

Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke Lose the ketchup coated, everyday meatloaf and try one that cranks it up a notch on the wow scale with a red-currant wine sauce that will leave you craving for more.  This one takes about 2 hours, but it’s worth it.

A 5-star recipe from Cooking Light, March 2003.


Ingredients

  • Meat loaf:
  • Cooking spray
  • 3 (1-ounce) slices white bread
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomato sprinkles
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast
  • 2 large eggs
  • Sauce:
  • 1/2 cup red currant jelly
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine
  • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Coat 2 (8 x 4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray; set aside.
  • To prepare meat loaves, place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form.
  • Combine breadcrumbs, onion, and next 7 ingredients (onion through eggs). Divide meat mixture in half. Press each portion into prepared pans.
  • Bake at 400° for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 180°.
  • To prepare sauce, combine jelly, wine, and flour in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 5 minutes or until jelly melts.
  • To freeze unbaked meat loaf: Prepare through Step 3. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.
  • To prepare frozen unbaked meat loaf: Thaw completely in refrigerator (about 24 hours). Preheat oven to 400º.
  • Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover meat loaf with reserved foil; bake at 400º for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 180º.
  • Prepare half of red currant-wine sauce; serve over meat loaf.

10 servings, 5 per pan (serving size: 5 ounces meat loaf and about 1 tablespoon sauce)

*Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Melanie J. Clarke*