Turkey Meatloaf with Spicy Tomato Jam

        Because I don’t cook with ground turkey much, I didn’t even realize you could buy packages of white meat and dark meat ground turkey.  But there they sat, side by side in the Trader Joe’s Kosher Poultry section.  I like to buy Kosher poultry because the koshering process, known in Hebrew as melichah (“salting”), is similar to brining: The meat is washed, soaked in water; salted; and then rinsed thoroughly it three times. (My friend, Devra Ferst, the newly appointed food editor of the Jewish Daily Forward lent a hand with this information. Thanks and Congratulations, Devra!)  
       Since Turkey is so fat-free, it needs all the help it can get to impart flavor.  I would never consider roasting a turkey without brining it first.  But I would also never consider brining ground turkey.  The other thing to remember about turkey is that it readily absorbs other flavors which is why there’s Turkey Bacon, Turkey Ham and Turkey Pastrami. In this recipe the flavor comes from all kinds of additions—garlic, sage, onions, ginger.  And then there’s the Spicy Tomato Jam. 

Recipe for Turkey Meatloaf with Spicy Tomato Jam from Country Living magazine

3 tablespoon(s) Olive Oil

1 teaspoon(s) Olive Oil

1/2 pound(s) Shiitake Mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

3/4 teaspoon(s) Salt

1/2 teaspoon(s) Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 1/4 teaspoon(s) Finely Chopped Fresh Thyme Leaves

3 tablespoon(s) Diced Roasted Red Peppers

2 pound(s) Ground Turkey (1 Pound Each White And Dark Meat)

1 1/2 cup(s) Bread Crumbs

2 clove(s) (medium) Garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon(s) Chopped Fresh Sage Leaves

1 teaspoon(s) Ground Ginger

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

2 can(s) (14.5-ounce) Diced Fire-Roasted Tomatoes

1 teaspoon(s) Crushed Red Pepper

2 tablespoon(s) Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup(s) Light-Brown Sugar

1/4 teaspoon(s) Allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Sauté mushrooms until just beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1/4 teaspoon thyme. Continue to brown mushrooms, stirring, about 6 minutes more. Stir in roasted red peppers. Transfer mixture to a plate and let cool.

          Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix turkey, bread crumbs, garlic, sage, ginger, half the onion, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons thyme. Using your hands, pack half the turkey mixture into a 5-by-9-inch loaf pan. 

 

 

 

 

    Top with an even layer of mushroom mixture. Cover with remaining turkey and pat down. Bake for 40 minutes.

       Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining oil and cook remaining onion until softened, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, crushed red pepper, vinegar, brown sugar, and allspice; simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes.

4.   Remove meatloaf from oven and spread 3/4 cup tomato jam on top. Return to oven and bake until meatloaf reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes more. Let cool in pan, about 10 minutes. Turn out and slice. Serve with remaining tomato jam on the side.