INDIVIDUAL TURKEY MEATLOAF AND BROCCOLI WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE SAUCE

Individual Turkey Meatloaf and Broccoli with Cheddar Cheese Sauce image

Categories Bread Sauce Cheese turkey Roast Dinner Cheddar Broccoli Boil

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

1 1/3 pounds ground lean turkey (average weight of 1 package)
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (a palmful, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning)
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning (2/3 palmful)
1/3 cup bottled barbecue sauce, any brand
1 small or 1/2 medium zucchini, diced fine
1/2 small red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and diced fine
3 scallions, finely chopped
3/4 cup smoked almonds, such as Diamond brand, ground in food processor to bread-crumb consistency
1 egg yolk, beaten
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling
1 large head broccoli or 2 small heads
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken stock or broth
1 cup milk
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) good-quality shredded Cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
Salt
1 cup store-bought chipotle, tomato, or tomatillo salsa, any brand

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the turkey in a medium mixing bowl and make a deep well in the center by punching the meat with your fist. Fill the well with the grill seasoning, poultry seasoning, barbecue sauce, chopped veggies, ground smoked almonds (clever sub for bread crumbs, I know, plus the smoked nuts rock with the BBQ sauce), and egg yolk. Mix the meatloaf ingredients together, then score the meat with your hand into 4 equal sections. Form 4 individual oval loaves, each 1 1/ 2 inches thick. Arrange on a nonstick baking sheet and drizzle liberally with EVOO. Roast the meatloaves for 18 to 20 minutes. While they roast, work on the broccoli and Cheddar sauce.
Trim the very end off of the broccoli stems. With a peeler or a paring knife, remove the thick, fibrous outer layer of the broccoli stems all the way up to within an inch of where the broccoli shoots off into its florets. Cut the broccoli lengthwise into large spears.
Heat a small or medium saucepot over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter melts, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken stock, then the milk. Thicken for 2 minutes, then stir in the cheese and melt, 2 minutes. Season with the Tabasco and salt to taste, then turn the heat to low.
Bring a couple of cups of water to a boil in a deep skillet. Add salt and broccoli and cook the spears for about 5 minutes in simmering water, until tender but still green. Drain and return to the pan to remain warm.
Place a turkey meatloaf on a dinner plate. Garnish with a spoonful or two of salsa. Pile some broccoli spears alongside and top with a generous ladle of cheese sauce.