Ingredients
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 teaspoon olive oil
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1 medium yellow onion, chopped
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2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
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4 ounces white bread, cut into 2-inch pieces (about 2-1/2 cups of Italian or French)
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1 cup whole milk
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3/4 lb Italian sausage (sweet or hot- bulk or skin removed sausages)
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1 3/4 lbs ground beef
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2 large eggs
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2 lightly packed tsp lemon zest, finely grated
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (1 tsp dried)
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2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (1 tsp dried)
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2 teaspoons garam masala (or any mixed spice you like)
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1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
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kosher salt
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fresh ground black pepper
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9 slices sliced bacon
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1 cup cremini mushroom, small-diced (or button mushrooms)
Instructions
- Heat 2 Tbs. of the oil in a 10- to 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat. Cook the onion, mushrooms, and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened and just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.Transfer to a large bowl and let cool until warm.
- In a shallow dish that holds it in a single layer, soak the bread piece's in the milk, flipping once, until soggy but not falling apart, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the coarseness and freshness of the bread. Lightly squeeze a handful of bread at a time to remove some of the milk (it should be wet but not drenched). Finely chop, or break into small pieces, and add to the bowl with the onion mixture.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add the beef, sausage and eggs to the onion mixture. Scatter the lemon zest, basil, thyme, and garam masala over the meat, and then sprinkle with the Worcestershire, 2-1/4 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Use your hands to gently mix all the ingredients until just combined; try not to compact the mixture as you do this.
- Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment. Transfer the meatloaf mixture to the baking pan and form into a 10x4-inch rectangular block (it becomes loaf-shaped as it cooks). Finish the meatloaf by draping it with slightly overlapping strips of bacon, tucking the ends under the loaf.
- Bake 40 to 55 minutes.
- Broil the meatloaf about 6 inches from the broiler element until the bacon is brown and crisped, about 3 minutes, but watch it carefully. Let rest for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board or serving platter with a large spatula and cut into 3/4 - to 1-inch-thick slices.