- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 small ribs celery, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup beer (lager, not dark)
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups breadcrumbs or ground Ritz crackers
- 1/4 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce or 3 tablespoons Tabasco
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 1 tablespoon ground paprika (a palmful)
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel (1/3 palmful)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander (1/2 palmful)
- 2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies (14.5 ounces each)
- Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter and add the celery, onion, peppers and garlic. Cook to tender, 10 minutes, then season with salt, pepper and thyme. Deglaze with beer and reduce for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and cool.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, moisten the breadcrumbs or cracker crumbs with hot sauce and vegetables. Add the egg and meat to the bowl, season with salt and pepper, paprika, fennel, coriander and mix to combine. Form a loaf about 4 inches high on baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 1 hour or until cooked through and golden on top.
Puree the tomatoes and chilies in a food processor or blender, and then place in small pot and heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve meatloaf with mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes alongside. Spoon tomato sauce over meatloaf and garnish with scallions.