Meat loaf

Serves 4-6

I had never made meat loaf until a few years ago, when my friend Jason persuaded me to put it on the menu at Le Caprice. It went on the brunch menu with a fried duck's egg and wild mushrooms and we made vinaigrette with HP sauce, which complemented it perfectly. Occasionally, we bring it back to tempt unadventurous British palates. You can vary the meat you use - try some smoked pork, or even omit the pork - but make sure you have some fat from veal or beef in there or it becomes very dry once cooked. Veal can be produced to a high welfare standard and, if it is, you needn't have any more qualms about it than about young lamb. But you can replace it by doubling the quantity of minced beef in the recipe if you prefer.

2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1tsp thyme leaves, chopped
1tbsp vegetable oil
250g minced pork belly
250g minced beef (preferably rib)
250g minced veal
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g fresh white breadcrumbs
1tbsp Dijon mustard

Pre-heat the oven to 190ºC/Gas mark 5. Gently cook the onions, garlic and thyme in the oil until soft. Leave to cool then mix with the minced meats, the breadcrumbs, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Season with salt and pepper and fry a small piece to test for the seasoning. Season again if necessary and pack into a lightly-oiled terrine mould or similar with a tight-fitting lid. If you don't have an ovenproof dish with a lid, use a loaf tin and cover tightly with foil. Place this in a roasting tray, pour 3-4cm of boiling water around your meat loaf container and cook for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Test the meat loaf with a skewer or point of a knife by inserting it into the centre and touching it with the tip of your tongue. If it's hot, it's done. Remove from the roasting tray, remove the lid and leave to cool. Once the meat loaf is fairly cool it can be removed from the mould by running the point of a sharp knife around the edge and turning it upside down. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate until required. To serve, cut it in thick, 2cm slices and fry, preferably in a non-stick pan with a little oil, for 3-4 minutes on each side, until crisp. Serve with a fried egg on top and wild mushrooms. Or mash.