Hardinera

A meatloaf steamed upside down in a tin, so the decoration ends up on top.

Pork, Egg. Not vegetarian — contains cheddar whose rennet the source does not name, pork.

Ingredients

• 800 g minced pork
• 200 g pork liver, finely chopped
• 100 g raisins
• 150 g pimiento or red pepper, in strips
• 2 eggs, beaten, for the mix
• 3 eggs, hard-boiled and sliced
• 150 g cheddar, in small dice
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 60 g breadcrumbs

Method

1. IT IS BUILT UPSIDE DOWN. The decoration goes into the BOTTOM of the tin first, the meat on top, and the whole thing is turned out at the end -- which is why the slices have egg and pepper neatly on their faces rather than buried.
2. Grease a loaf tin or individual llanera moulds.
3. Lay the sliced boiled egg, the pimiento strips and a few raisins over the base in whatever pattern you want to see.
4. Mix the pork, liver, beaten egg, cheese, remaining raisins, tomato paste, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper thoroughly -- two or three minutes of real mixing, until it is tacky and holds together.
5. Press the mixture in on top, firmly, with no air pockets. Level the surface.
6. Cover tightly with foil and STEAM 1 hour 15 minutes. Steaming rather than baking is what keeps it moist; baked, a loaf this lean-ish goes dry and cracks.
7. Rest 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Cut thick, and it is as good cold the next day.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Philippines · All recipes