An incredibly simple recipe for ground turkey (or chicken), this meatloaf is much lighter than the beefy version.

Fragrant with tarragon and lemon zest, it’s delicious whether eaten hot or cold making it great picnic fodder, which may seem a bit optimistic for late April  – but as today is warm and sunny, eating outdoors seems to be just around the corner.

I like to serve turkey meatloaf with boiled baby new potatoes and a green salad.

Turkey Meatloaf

TURKEY MEATLOAF WITH TARRAGON & LEMON ZEST

(Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1.5lbs (750g) of ground turkey

1 shallot, minced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 cup (250ml measure) of dried breadcrumbs

1/4 cup (50ml measure) of Dijon mustard

2 heaped tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon of tamari or soy sauce

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Red pepper strips for decoration (optional)

Action:

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Oil a loaf pan (8″ x 4″ / 1.5 liter).

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together, combining well.

Arrange strips of red pepper on the base of the pan then pile the turkey mixture on top, pressing down lightly to even it out.

Bake for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before turning it out to slice. Otherwise you can cool it entirely in the pan if you’re serving it cold.

This will keep covered for a couple of days in the fridge or wrap it well in foil to freeze.