We highly recommend using all organic ingredients for this versatile and economical dish, which keeps well in the refrigerator for at least 10 days. It is equally delicious right out of the oven or reheated and served with vegetables, grains or other starch, or cold with salads and in sandwiches. (When used in the latter, lettuce, sliced tomato, mustard and/or mayonnaise can be added.)
- 2 lbs. skinless, boneless turkey or chicken breast—fresh ground
2 eggs (or 3 egg whites)—raw
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup of chopped onion
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons dried tarragon
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon sweet red paprika
¼ teaspoon turmeric
a dash of Cayenne (or more, to taste)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ cup or more of breadcrumbs (as needed)
- Assemble the above ingredients in a bowl—with first soaking the bread in cold water and wringing it as best you can before adding to rest of the items.
- Mix all ingredients well—preferably by using your hands.
- Turn on the oven to 400 degrees.
- Coat a Pyrex glass or stainless steel baking dish with about a cup of olive oil.
- Transfer the ground meat mixture from bowl, keeping it away from the baking dish sides and shaping it into a rectangular (brick) form.
- Optional: Prepare ahead of time 3-4 hardboiled eggs, peel and sink them end-to-end, lengthwise, into the center of the loaf, then pull the loaf over them, making sure all the hard boiled eggs are completely covered.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the loaf, covering its top completely
- Place in the over and bake at this temperature for 20 minutes.
- Turn oven down to 375 degrees and continue to bake.
- Keep checking loaf to prevent drying or burning—cut into thickest part to see if it is cooked through (i.e., firm and no longer pink).
- Turn off oven but leave turkey/chicken breast loaf in for 5 minutes until breadcrumbs on top have turned rosy.
- Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes before slicing.
- If you add the hardboiled eggs, you’ll have a decorative center in each slice.
(Turkey loaf in photo is decoratively framed with potato wedges which bake with it)