Hello dear reader,

I am currently trying to use up the last items in my freezer, so I can defrost it.

I wrote a list of the eclectic mix of things that are left so I could try to create some meal plans around them…

• chicken livers (I’d bought too much for a chicken-liver paté recipe)
• some beef mince (Mr Vohn loves his minced beef but I’m not such a fan)
• some pork sausagemeat (for sausage rolls that never got made)
• some pancetta (last batch from my very successful experiment in home curing bacon)
• some ground pistachios (leftover from the Sour Cherry & Pistachio tarts I made for my guest book review on Edinburgh Foody)
• some breadcrumbs (I always make breadcrumbs from any leftover slices)
• lots of egg whites (I don’t like egg whites unless they are in a cake or meringue, so often cook the yolk and freeze the white).

The egg whites are easy – I’ll make up a big batch of mini meringues and store them in an airtight container to await their pairing with summer strawberries!

As for the rest, well believe it or not, I found a recipe for Rustic French-style meatloaf on Epicurious.com that included most of the items.  I have adapted the recipe a bit to use up everything in one go!  It is really delicious.  Eaten hot it is a rich meatloaf, given amazing depth of flavour by the chicken livers; eaten cold it is like a coarse French paté.

I will definitely be making this again!

My “Everything but the kitchen sink” meatloaf recipe
– 75g pancetta
– 1 tsp oil
– 1 onion, finely chopped
– 5 cloves garlic, crushed
– 450g chicken livers, trimmed
– 350g beef, minced
– 350g pork sausagemeat
– 50g breadcrumbs
– 25g ground pistachios
– 25g chopped hazelnuts
– 1 tsp Season-All
– ½ tsp ground sea salt
– ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
– 50ml milk
– 2 eggs, beaten

1) Fry pancetta until crispy, then remove from pan.  In same pan, add 1 tsp oil and fry onion over medium heat until soft.  Add garlic and fry for another ½ minute, then remove pan from heat and leave to cool.

2) Purée chicken livers in a blender.  Mmm – meaty milkshake!

3) Pour blended chicken livers into a bowl and add pancetta, onions, garlic, minced beef, sausage meat, breadcrumbs, nuts, seasonings, milk & eggs.  Mix well.  It will look thoroughly disgusting!

4) Pour the mixture into a 2lb loaf tin, cover with foil and then place loaf tin in a roasting tray containing an inch of hot water.

5) Bake at 180ºC for an hour and a half, removing tin foil for last 15 minutes and topping up water in roasting tray if necessary.  Don’t worry about the burnt-looking edges – they are very tasty!

Leave to cool slightly before turning out and slicing.

We had it served with boiled potatoes and winter greens, then another night with chips & gravy. For National Toast Day, I had the leftovers for lunch on oat and barley toast topped with green olives!

So, tell me dear reader, what items do you have left in the freezer when you want to defrost it?  Do you get creative in the kitchen, store them to go back in the freezer, or throw them away?

Vohn

x

P.S.  I’m entering my meatloaf into the No Waste Food Challenge run by Elizabeth over at Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary and this month hosted by Chris at Cooking Around the World.  This challenge, which was inspired by the Love Food Hate Waste campaign, is very dear to my heart as I find it shocking how much food is unnecessarily wasted in our country every day.