Bacon-Wrapped Meatloaf with Roasted Spiced Rhudabaga

How many times can I type rhudabaga and spell it wrong?  Speller doesn't even know what it is.  It's winter turnips, silly!  I used to make great homefries, baken in the oven all low-fat but spicy.  Well, so many things have changed, but I missed the flavour of the spices, so I thought, what if I toss cubed turnip in some fat, and add all those familiar spices?  Tasty goodness, that's what.  But there was no dipping these in sugary ketchup like I would have in the past...  Lucky thing I had home made mayo and mixed in a little bit of curry paste, voila, good dippin' too!  (Because with my British-Canadian background, all foods must be in sauce, gravy, or dip--it is in the National Charter!!)  Ok, there is no such charter, but there should be.  BTW, I use this dip for fish, sweet potatoe and squash fries.  I like Patak's Curry Paste, but use whatever you got, it's all good. 

Repeat after me, "Bacon makes it better".  It just does.  We all know this.  So wrap your meatloaf in bacon and rejoice!  It will taste awesome.  Here's what I did to mine...

The uncooked meatloaf--see the bacon lattice?

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground meat--I used beef
5-6 strips bacon
2 eggs
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1 can tomato paste
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix eggs, meat, spices, almond meal and half of tomato paste together and form into a loaf shape in a large casserole dish or on a cookie sheet.  If you use a loaf pan, it may increase cooking time.  Spread loaf with remaining tomato paste, then lay bacon over top.  Steve thought he'd be creative and spread the tomato paste ontop of the loaf.  Both ways work, but your bacon is crispier if its on top.  Bake, uncovered, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes, checking for doneness after an hour.  We like our ground meat well done, so we gave it 1 hour, 10 minutes.



My food photography is lacking...

Roasted Spiced Rhudabaga

1 medium rhudabaga, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
fat of choice--2-3 tbs

Toss cubed rhudabaga with melted fat--I used chicken fat that I'd saved by freezing in ice cube trays.  Then toss cubes with spices.  Lay on cookie sheet and bake alongside meatloaf, for about 45-50 minutes.  Great dipped in curry-mayo.  Now if only I could figure out how to make these tasty guys crispy...  then I will never miss home fries again.