Pork and Ham Loaf with Marmalade-Mustard Glaze

Source: Bon Appetit Feb 1998

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 pound finely chopped smoked ham (about 3 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup finely crushed saltine crackers
• 1 cup milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade
• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Melt butter in heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and bell pepper. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool mixture completely.

2. Mix ground pork, ham, crushed crackers, milk, eggs, pepper, salt and cooled onion mixture in large bowl; combine thoroughly. Transfer pork mixture to shallow baking pan. Shape into 9x4x2 1/2-inch loaf. Using long knife, make shallow crisscross (diamond) pattern in top of loaf. Bake loaf 30 minutes.

3. Blend orange marmalade, Dijon mustard and brown sugar in small bowl for glaze.

4. Drizzle 1/3 cup glaze over loaf; bake 15 minutes. Drizzle another 1/3 cup glaze over loaf; bake 15 minutes. Drizzle remaining glaze over loaf and bake until thermometer inserted into center of loaf registers 165F, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer loaf to platter; let stand 10 minutes. Pour pan juices into small bowl; whisk to blend.

5. Cut loaf crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Serve with pan juices.

• Serves 6-8