Another Great Meatloaf

When Amy Mastrangelo came up with this meatloaf for the low-fat section of Gourmet, I'll admit that I was skeptical. I'm not a fan of turkey meatloaves, and the low-fat aspect of the recipe didn't do much to spark my enthusiasm. So the week she presented it, I went home and made it for my family.

We all liked it. A lot. The secret is the mushrooms, which add flavor, texture and moisture. Amy used cremini mushrooms, but I like to throw in some shiitake for extra flavor, as well as a few dried porcini. Play with it.

This one doesn't have the wow factor of Ian's bacon and prune laced meatloaf, but for a weeknight dinner (and one without a lot of calories), it makes six or so people very happy.

Mushroom-Turkey Meatloaf

Cook 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions with1 diced carrot and 3 cloves of smashed garlic in a bit of olive oil until softened. Add ¾ pounds of mushrooms that have been finely chopped in a food processor, a bit of salt and pepper, and cook until all the mushroom liquid has evaporated (about 15 minutes).

Add 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup chopped parsley and a quarter cup of ketchup and allow the mixture to cool.

Meanwhile soak 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs in about a third cup of milk. Stir in 2 eggs and then mix into cooled vegetables.

With your hands gently mix in 1 1/4 lb ground turkey (if you can get dark meat, do; it will taste better), add a bit more salt and pepper and shape into an oval (the mixture will be very damp and moist), and put in a large pan. Brush the top with ketchup and bake at 400° for almost an hour (the loaf should register 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer).

Let it sit a few minutes before serving, just to reabsorb the juices.