Turkey Meatloaf With a Block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese | Antoni Porowski

Preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the middle. 

Pulse onion and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion mixture and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, coriander, red pepper flakes, and ¼ cup ketchup. Transfer to a large bowl, and let cool. 

In a large bowl, stir together the panko and milk and let soak 5 minutes.

Stir the eggs into the milk mixture, then add to the onion mixture. Add the turkey and ½ teaspoon salt and mix well with your hands.

Lightly oil a 13-x-9-inch baking pan. Shape about half of the meat mixture into a 9-x-5-inch rectangle in the center of the pan. Gently press the cheese into the center, then cover with the remaining meat, building a little wall (about 1 ½ inches thick) along the sides of the cheese block and on top, being sure to seal all the seams. 

Mix together the brown sugar, black pepper, and the remaining ⅓ cup ketchup, then brush on top of the loaf. Bake until the top is deeply golden and the bottom edges are crisp, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.