This upscale meat loaf deserves contemporary partners like sweet potatoes whipped with maple syrup, and some steamed broccoli with lemon-herb butter. End with a sure winner-devil's food cake.
Ingredients
10 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs made from whole wheat bread
1/4 cup chopped mixed dried fruits or chopped dried apricots
1 large egg
3 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine beef, breadcrumbs, chopped fruits, egg, shallots, 1 tablespoon mustard, sage, salt and pepper in large bowl; mix thoroughly. Shape mixture into 2 oval loaves, each about 1 inch thick, and place on small rimmed baking sheet.
Bake loaves 10 minutes. Mix preserves and remaining 1 tablespoon mustard in small bowl. Brush preserves mixture generously over loaves. Continue to bake until loaves are cooked through and thermometer inserted into center registers 160°F, about 8 minutes.
