American Meatloaf with Tomato Relish

Ingredients:

Tomato relish

• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded, finely diced
• 2 tomatoes, halved, seeded and finely diced
• 0.25 cup chopped parsley
• 1 bottle of ketchup (about 350 g)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Meatloaf

• 3 slices of white bread without crust, torn into pieces by hand
• 0.25 cups whole milk
• 700 g of ground beef
• 700 g of minced pork
• 2 eggs
• Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
• 3-4 slices of bacon

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Coat a shallow frying pan with oil and place over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with the bay leaves for a few minutes to develop the flavors. Add the red pepper and cook for a few minutes until softened. Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this stage helps them retain their shape and prevent them from falling apart. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of the dipping sauce.
3. Place the torn white bread in a bowl, add enough milk to just cover the bread, and let it sit while you prepare the meatloaf.
4. Now it's time to get your hands dirty! In a large, deep bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1.5 cups of tomato sauce, eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze any excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test the consistency, fry a small patty of the meat mixture; the ground beef should have a smooth, soft consistency and not fall apart. Taste the patty for salt and seasoning.
5. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Place the meat mixture in the center of the baking sheet and form a loaf approximately 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. Top the loaf with 1/2 cup of tomato sauce. Lay the bacon along the top of the loaf.
6. Bake the meatloaf for 1-1.5 hours, until the bacon is crispy and the meatloaf is firm. Turn the meatloaf occasionally to ensure even browning. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool slightly before slicing. Serve the meatloaf with the remaining gravy.