Little Lamb Persian Meatloaves with mint and almonds

I love Belinda Jeffery’s user-friendly recipes - when I read them I feel she is in the kitchen suggesting how to make appealing flavoursome meals. Her instructions are so easy to read and always result in something delicious.

I have adjusted Belinda Jeffery’s Lamb original meatloaf recipe to create smaller faster-cooking mini meatloaves. The spices work so well with the fresh mint and almonds. Any left overs (!) they are perfect for lunch the next day – either sliced up with salad or part of a very filling sandwich.

Makes 8 mini loaves.  I allow 1 each for regular appetites and 2 for a Wilbur sized hunger.

Preparation:  Sauce:       20 minutes including cooking time

Cooling time for sauce:   30 minutes

Preparation:  Meatloaf:     5 minutes

Oven Cooking time:        30 minutes

Ingredients

50 gram Toasted slivered Almonds or pinenuts   (TIP: toast these first before starting recipe)

1 tablespoon Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 large onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped or fresh grated ginger

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1/3  cup Tomato paste

2 teaspoons sea salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoon ground coriander

Shake ground pepper

2 teaspoons dried mint

Sliced Red Chilli –  none, ¼ or whole - depends on how much you like

½ cup golden sultanas

½ cup Honey

¼ cup white Wine vinegar 

500 gram Lamb Mince

Handful each of chopped parsley and chopped Mint

1 – 1 ½ cups fresh white breadcrumbs   TIP: fresh breadcrumbs make the meatloaf lighter in texture

1 egg – beaten

Topping

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice

100 gram slivered almonds or pinenuts – do NOT toast first

Method

First lightly toast your nuts in a large dry pan. Set aside to cool.

Re-use the pan, heat olive oil and add onion to gently fry to soften.

After 5 minutes, add the garlic and ginger. Stir regularly.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, spices, sultanas, honey and vinegar. Bring to boil, then simmer for 5 – 10 minutes until mixture is thick and rich.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes in a large bowl.

Preheat oven to 180 oC.  

Prepare and line a shallow oven tray.

Prepare the topping by mixing the honey and juice. Reserve. Keep nuts separate at this stage.

To the tomato mix, add the minced lamb, nuts, fresh mint, parsley, 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs – combine well.

Mix the beaten egg through the mixture.

If it feels too wet, gradually add a little more of the reserved breadcrumbs until mix can be shaped into soft log shapes. Divide the mix for 8 mini loaves – TIPS and HINTS:  it is important to shape them gently without compressing the mix too harshly. Compressed meat will cook in an undesirable hard textured loaf.

Place the loaves on the tray and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove loaves from oven and brush some of the honey/juice mix over each loaf.

Scatter nuts on top and gently press so they adhere.  Lightly dab the nuts with the remaining juice.

Don’t worry if you don’t do the final brush – it will still cook okay.

Return the loaves to the oven for a final 10 minutes.  Depending on your oven you may want to increase to 200 oC for final browning.  Check after 5 minutes they are browning not burning on top.

When cooked, remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with your choice of green salad or vegetables.

                        Enjoy!  Colleen