WINE WITH…French Meatloaf with Dried Tomatoes and Pistachios
A friend of ours recently returned from Italy bringing us a gift of air-dried Pachino tomatoes. Fire engine red, petite in size yet big in flavor, luscious little Pachinos are protected by the European Community with an IGP certification (meaning, basically, a protected geographic designation). We immediately used some of them in a simple pasta sauce with olive oil, garlic, basil and dried pepper flakes. They were so tasty that we immediately began to ponder other possible ways to enjoy them. For bruschetta and pizza of course, and in salads, but we were looking for a more substantial dish in which to highlight these little
morsels of sweet, intense flavor. And then it came to us: let’s slip a few of the tomatoes into a meatloaf, in much the same way that prunes or figs are sometimes used in a French terrine. Throw in a few pistachios and voilà, a French-inspired main dish!
As a cold alternative that would make a fine first course, the meatloaf can be turned into a good approximation of a French country terrine. Leave it fully cooked in its pan, covered with foil. When it is cool, weigh it down with a brick or other heavy object for several hours, then refrigerate it. Cut the terrine in slices and serve it with mustard, cornichons and good bread.
For the Pachino tomatoes you could substitute other air-dried or oil cured tomatoes, or oven-roasted cherry or grape tomatoes (if using cherry tomatoes cut them in half).
French Meatloaf With Dried Tomatoes and Pistachios
Serves 6-8
1 or 2 slices bacon
1 and 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 pound ground pork
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup minced shallots
1tablespoon olive oil plus more for greasing the pan
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons cognac or brandy
3 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon each cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
1/3 cup small dried tomatoes
1/4 cup pistachio nuts
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Bring a cupful of water to a boil in a small skillet or saucepan. Add the bacon, lower the heat and simmer for about 30 seconds. Drain the blanched bacon on paper towels and reserve.
Combine the beef and pork in a large bowl. Sauté the garlic and shallots in the oil until they have softened. Add them to the meats along with the breadcrumbs, salt, cognac, wine and seasonings. When the ingredients are thoroughly combined, stir in the tomatoes and pistachios. Lightly oil a large loaf pan or two small pans and fill them with the meatloaf mixture. Lay a blanched bacon strip over the top and bake for 20 to 45 minutes (depending on the size of the pan), or until the internal temperature registers 165° on an instant-read thermometer.
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When served hot, fresh from the oven, this is definitely a red wine dish. (If cold as a first course, it could pair well with white or sparkling wines as well.) But what sort of red wine? We found that light-bodied ones didn’t sport enough heft to make the match successful. The meatloaf tastes quite rich and, given the cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, intriguingly spicy, so it benefits from a somewhat muscular wine partner.
Questions or comments? Contact us at Talkofthevine@gmail.com
