A Turkey Meatloaf With a Little Somethin’-Somethin’

Maybe it’s my stint as an interim restaurant critic, but lately I can’t stop thinking about meatloaf. It’s not the sort of thing you find on a menu all that often. As a kid, I ate it on the regular at my grandmother’s house — a thick, ketchup-slicked slice, surrounded by a starch and a green, a good square meal in that classic, midcentury way. And now I’ve been missing it.

To celebrate the meatloaves of yore, and, even better, the glorious, pickle-shingled sandwiches you can make from them, I came up with a recipe for a turkey meatloaf, which I adapted from the Seattle chef Renee Erickson’s cookbook, “Sunlight and Breadcrumbs.” Seasoned with Parmesan, orange zest and garlic and drizzled with red wine, this is a robust, brawny brick that’s brightened by the fruity acidity of the wine, which also helps keep it moist.

If you can find ground turkey that’s not too lean — I used 94 percent, which is a mix of dark and white meat — you’ll get the juiciest loaf. Or feel free to substitute beef or pork (or a mix, which is what Renee does). Serve it hot from the oven, maybe next to a tangle of Craig Claiborne’s beloved generously buttered parsleyed noodles, and some sautéed kale for the squarest of square meals.

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Turkey Meatloaf With Parmesan and Red Wine

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If what you need is a square meal that’s pescatarian, how about starting with Naz Deravian’s roasted dill salmon? She calls for a pantry-friendly mix of maple syrup, dill (fresh or dried), turmeric and garlic for the marinade, spooned over a large, center-cut fillet. (If you use smaller fillets, just reduce the cooking time slightly.) This bubbles into a heady glaze as the salmon bakes, its rich flesh firming just enough to flake with a fork. Square it up with pretty much any side, though I especially like things that can go into the oven at the same time, like Ali Slagle’s hot honey-glazed roasted root vegetables and Lidey Heuck’s roasted broccoli, tossed with a subtle touch of garlic.

On the saucier, more chicken-y side, Colu Henry’s harissa chicken thighs with shallots is a dream to make in a skillet on the stove. Seasoned with harissa and cinnamon, the shallots practically melt into something between a vegetable and a schmaltz-imbued condiment to eat with the golden pieces of chicken. This one just needs a baguette to mop up the juices, and maybe a festive beverage to celebrate such an easy, midweek meal.

To end the meal, square or otherwise, I’ll give you a nice, round dessert: Samantha Seneviratne’s snickerdoodles. Rich with butter and spices, these cookies stay soft and chewy for a few days, which gives you plenty of time to dunk them in milk or tea or nibble them on their own. They’re wonderful tucked into a lunchbox, too — perhaps next to a nice, square meatloaf sandwich.

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That’s all for now. I’ll see you on Monday.