Pot-Roast Meat Loaf

To make your meatloaf: Preheat the oven to full whack (475°). Peel and finely chop one of the onions – don’t worry about technique, just chop away until fine. Place in a large frying pan on a medium high heat with 2 lugs of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper . Add the ground cumin and coriander. Fry and stir every30 seconds for around 7 minutes or until softened and lightly golden, then put into a large bowl to cool. 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. 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. You ca either cook it straight away or put it ona plate, cover, and place in the refrigerator until needed. 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 your meatloaf sauce: Peel the other onion and chop into ¼-inch pieces. Peel and slice the garlic. Finely slice the red chile. Place the onion, garlic, and chile in a large pan on a medium hig heat with 2 lugs of olive oil, the paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for around 7 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until softened and lightly golden. Add the Worcestershire 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 your meatloaf: Pick the rosemary leaves off the woody stalks and put thm into a little bowl. Remove the meatloaf frm the oven and pour all the fat from the pan over the rosemary leaves and mix up well. Spoon your sauce round 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 to 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 for squeezing over – this will add a nice sharp twang.