Pot roast Meatloaf with Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

Meatloaf

• 1 medium onion
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp. ground coriander
• 12 cream or plain crackers
• 2 tsps. Dried oregano
• 2 tsps. Dijon mustard
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 large egg

Tomato Sauce

• 1 medium onion
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ fresh red chili, to your taste
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans (chick peas), drained
• 1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

To finish:

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• A few slices of bacon
• 1 lemon

Method:

To make the meatloaf

1. Preheat the oven to 475 F.
2. Peel and finely chop the onion. Place in large frying pan on a medium high heat with 2 lugs of olive oil and a pinch of salt & pepper.Add the ground cumin and coriander. Fry and stir every 30 seconds for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden, then put it into a large bowl to cool.
3. Wrap the crackers in a kitchen towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands.Add to the bowl of cooled onions with the oregano, mustard and ground beef. Crack in the egg and add another good pinch of salt and pepper.
4. With clean hands, scrunch and mix up well.Move the meat mixture to a board, then pat and mold it into a large football shape.  Rub it with a little oil.
5. Place the meatloaf in a Dutch oven-type pan or baking dish, put it into the preheated oven and turn down the temperature immediately to 400 F, bake for half an hour.

To make the tomato sauce

1. Peel the onion and chop into ¼ inch pieces.Peel and slice the garlic.  Finely slice the red chili. Place all three ingredients in a large pan on a medium high heat with 2 lugs of olive oil, the paprika and a pinch of salt & pepper. Cook for around 7 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until softened and lightly golden.
2. Add the Worchester sauce, garbanzo beans, tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and let it slowly simmer for 10 minutes.  Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper if needed.

To finish off and serve

1. Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks and put them into a little bowl.Remove the meatloaf from the oven and pour all the fat from the pan over the rosemary leaves and mix up well.
2. Spoon your sauce around the meatloaf.Lay the slices of bacon over the top of the meatloaf and sauce.  Scatter over the rosemary leaves.  Put the pan back into the oven for 10 – 15 minutes, until the bacon turns golden and the sauce is bubbling and delicious.

Serve with a mixed leaf salad and some wedges of lemon.
Serves 4 -6