Delicious Meatloaf

[JenKuz]

I wanted to make a meatloaf the other day; just had a crazy craving, i dunno. So I tried to think of what would be a good binder. I did NOT want to go the Dr. Atkins pork rinds route. So I decided to try falafel mix.

It worked exceptionally well. WAY better than saltines. I think this is one case where the gluten free alternative is in all respects superior to the traditional variety.

I plan to try the falafel mix for crab cakes (which I sorely mix), and I suspect it would make a really nice breading for fried fish, zucchini, etc.

Here's my recipe:

Glaze:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 small can tomato paste

2 tblsp worcestershire

hot water to thin to taste

Loaf:

1 onion, diced very fine

3 cloves roasted garlic or 2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs

1/2 cup yogurt

1 tsp horseradish

1 tsp dijon mustard

2 tsp worcestershire

salt (beware of salt in falafel mix when salting this dish)

pepper

thyme

oregano

1 1/2 cup falafel mix

1/2 pound reduced fat pork sausage

1/2 pound ground veal

1 pound ground chuck

Dice onion and saute with garlic in a drizzle of oil (as little as possible, there's enough fat in this dish as it is Smiley). When cooled, whiz in the food processor (optional).

Mix eggs, yogurt, and all seasonings together. In another bowl, combine the meats carefully, to mix together without squeezing or overworking. Add falafel mix and onion to egg mixture, and stir till just combined, then mix together with meat. Form into loaves.

If even remotely possible, bake in a dish that drains. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.

Mmmmmmmmmmm, meatloaf....

[Juliebove]

Glad it worked for you. Wouldn't work for us because of our dairy and egg allergy. I don't make meatloaf very often because it seems like such a pain to do. The last couple of times, I made a recipe that I found online that called for oats. I used gluten free oats and I processed them to a powder in the food processor before using. The recipe called for tomato juice to moisten. I added some chopped spinach, carrots, celery and onion to the mix and topped it with chili sauce. Subbed in flax meal for the egg. No dairy was called for. I made individual meatloaves because I wasn't sure how well the mix would hold together. It held, but I'm not sure it would work for a big loaf.

[JenKuz]

Glad it worked for you. Wouldn't work for us because of our dairy and egg allergy. I don't make meatloaf very often because it seems like such a pain to do. The last couple of times, I made a recipe that I found online that called for oats. I used gluten free oats and I processed them to a powder in the food processor before using. The recipe called for tomato juice to moisten. I added some chopped spinach, carrots, celery and onion to the mix and topped it with chili sauce. Subbed in flax meal for the egg. No dairy was called for. I made individual meatloaves because I wasn't sure how well the mix would hold together. It held, but I'm not sure it would work for a big loaf.

Yeah, usually it's something you'd do to use up old bread, right? Well, I actually had a reason to make it, which is going to sound a little strange, but if you go to the following link, you'll see what my objective is:

Open Original Shared Link

It will be for my (non-gluten-avoiding) boyfriend for his birthday. He adores all things red meat, and this is more or less the perfect thing for him. However, I had to practice getting a gluten-free meatloaf right before attempting to make a cake with it.

Like I said, though, I think it will make a perfect binder for crab cakes and salmon patties, and I'm going to try it as breading on fried things like green tomatoes and eggplant.....

[hathor]

I'm a vegetarian, so ordinarily I wouldn't comment on a thread like this

I do want to warn people though ... some falafel mixes contain wheat. Always read labels!

[angel-jd1]

Yeah, usually it's something you'd do to use up old bread, right? Well, I actually had a reason to make it, which is going to sound a little strange, but if you go to the following link, you'll see what my objective is:

Open Original Shared Link

It will be for my (non-gluten-avoiding) boyfriend for his birthday. He adores all things red meat, and this is more or less the perfect thing for him. However, I had to practice getting a gluten-free meatloaf right before attempting to make a cake with it.

Like I said, though, I think it will make a perfect binder for crab cakes and salmon patties, and I'm going to try it as breading on fried things like green tomatoes and eggplant.....

I'm loving the link to the meat cake!!! That is too funny. Thanks for sharing.

-Jessica

[sickchick]

I dream about meatloaf lol! Your recipe sound yummy I can't wait to try it! I always tend towards italian herbs when I make mine so I love your idea to use horseradish and dijon MMM

When I make mine I just grab the wheat-free bread I have in the fridge (cause I will NEVER eat it on sandwiches lol! bleh but it pretty much turns to crumbs on it's own!) hahaha

The meat cake thing is cracking me up

happy happy

sickchick

[JenKuz]

I'm a vegetarian, so ordinarily I wouldn't comment on a thread like this

I do want to warn people though ... some falafel mixes contain wheat. Always read labels!

It's true, Hathor. Fantastic Foods falafel mix has soy sauce in it (why? I can't fathom.....it's not like soy sauce is a traditional and indispensable flavoring for falafel). I contacted Casbah and Manischewitz to find out whether theirs are gluten-free.

You can make your own with garbanzo flour.

[hathor]

It's true, Hathor. Fantastic Foods falafel mix has soy sauce in it (why? I can't fathom.....it's not like soy sauce is a traditional and indispensable flavoring for falafel). I contacted Casbah and Manischewitz to find out whether theirs are gluten-free.

You can make your own with garbanzo flour.

Naturally, Fantastic Foods is the brand all the stores I go to seem to carry It's as if I forget the soy sauce -- or can't get my mind around it -- and so every couple months I'll pick it up, read the label, and say, "Oh, yeah." Maybe now I've mentioned it to someone else I'll remember

Is there a recipe you like? I tried making falafel once from mashing chick peas and it was a mess; what's worse it tasted wrong. I wish I had the recipe for this falafel I got for breakfast at a hotel in Egypt. They fried it fresh right in front of you and it was heavenly (more flavor & moister). I kept getting more even though I wasn't hungry any more.

I've searched a bit online, and what I'm finding calls for mashed chick peas & wheat flour. I admit I only looked at a few hits. I figured it would be easier to ask you for your recipe

[JenKuz]

Naturally, Fantastic Foods is the brand all the stores I go to seem to carry It's as if I forget the soy sauce -- or can't get my mind around it -- and so every couple months I'll pick it up, read the label, and say, "Oh, yeah." Maybe now I've mentioned it to someone else I'll remember

Is there a recipe you like? I tried making falafel once from mashing chick peas and it was a mess; what's worse it tasted wrong. I wish I had the recipe for this falafel I got for breakfast at a hotel in Egypt. They fried it fresh right in front of you and it was heavenly (more flavor & moister). I kept getting more even though I wasn't hungry any more.

I've searched a bit online, and what I'm finding calls for mashed chick peas & wheat flour. I admit I only looked at a few hits. I figured it would be easier to ask you for your recipe

I had a similar experience with the falafel at a little Moroccan joint in Berlin *sigh*.

Unfortunately, I picked up the fantastic foods variety at the store recently and read the ingredients, but apparently not carefully enough. I've learned that Casbah brand and Sadaf brand have wheat flour, and Near East brand has wheat germ.... and Manischewitz is out too The soy sauce always slips past me on labels. So I actually glutened myself on the stuff just after posting the recipe, as it happens..... hence I will NEVER forget that it has wheat in it!

I think the flour should be eliminated from the recipes that use mashed canned garbanzos. Or replaced with half the amount of corn starch plus half the amount of masa flour.... seems like that would allow a reasonable textural replacement?

I found this recipe that doesn't call for flour:

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 cup dried peeled fava beans (7 ounces), soaked overnight

3/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons minced cilantro

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of crushed red pepper

3 tablespoons water

Pure olive oil or canola oil, for frying

Tahini Sauce (see recipe)

RECIPE METHOD

Drain and rinse the favas and chickpeas and put them in a food processor. Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, baking powder, salt, cumin and crushed red pepper. Pulse, scraping down the side of the bowl, to form a coarse paste. Add the water and process until the mixture is gritty but fine and brilliant green. Scrape the paste into a bowl.

In a medium saucepan, heat 2 inches of oil to 350 degrees F. Scoop rounded tablespoons of the falafel mixture into the hot oil and fry in small batches until browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels set over a wire rack and serve hot, with Tahini Sauce.

Recipe created by Nancy Harmon Jenkins.

Recipe reprinted by permission of Food and Wine. All rights reserved.

Otherwise, as near as I can tell, Orgran makes a mix, and Bob's Red Mill makes a garbanzo-and-fava flour. They offer this recipe:

Ingredients:

1 cup Garbanzo Bean Flour

1 Tb Sea Salt

2 tsp Ground Cumin

1-1/2 tsp Turmeric

1 Tb Freshly Crushed Garlic

3/4 cup Water, hot

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 Tb Chili Pepper, Chipotle (Ground)

1 tsp Mustard Seed

1 tsp Garam Masala

1 Tb Crushed Fresh Ginger

2 Tb Finely Chopped Onion

1/2 cup Frozen Spinach, pressed & drained

2 cups Vegetable Oil for frying

In a bowl, mix bean flour, baking soda, salt, chili pepper, cumin, mustard seeds, turmeric and garam masala well. Add hot water, stir well. Gradually add garlic, ginger, onions and spinach. Mix well and let mixture rest for about 5 minutes.

Heat 2 cups of oil in a deep fry pan. When oil is hot, drop 1 tablespoon of mixture into hot oil (about 6-8 balls at a time) and cook for about 5 minutes or until balls are golden brown. Remove and drain onto paper towels.

Falafel can be kept warm in oven while frying remaining balls.

Great served with this dipping sauce:

1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt

1/2 cup lowfat or nonfat sour cream

1 small cucumber (peeled, seeded and finely chopped)

1/4 cup fresh parsley finely chopped

1/2 tsp Bob's Red Mill dried dill weed

In a small mixing bowl blend all ingredients together. Enjoy.

I think the dry ingredients could be rather easily assembled and kept on hand for quick falafel

[Juliebove]

Yeah, usually it's something you'd do to use up old bread, right? Well, I actually had a reason to make it, which is going to sound a little strange, but if you go to the following link, you'll see what my objective is:

Open Original Shared Link

It will be for my (non-gluten-avoiding) boyfriend for his birthday. He adores all things red meat, and this is more or less the perfect thing for him. However, I had to practice getting a gluten-free meatloaf right before attempting to make a cake with it.

Like I said, though, I think it will make a perfect binder for crab cakes and salmon patties, and I'm going to try it as breading on fried things like green tomatoes and eggplant.....

That is soooo cool! And the kind of cake my husband would like. Heh!

When I was a kid, I used to make meatloaf in a pie pan, then cut it in wedges and serve it with a scoop of mashed potatoes on top.

[hathor]

JenKuz, thanks so much for the recipes. You saved me from doing the research

I'm really scared about ordering falafel in a restaurant these days. Would they put wheat or a wheat-containing ingredient in there? Would they use a fryer that is also used for glutened items?

I seem to be incapable of frying things without burning myself, so I'll have to see if I can make some falafel-type patties that aren't fried but still have an acceptable mouthfeel. (Don't offer hints for frying ... I also have problems having much fat so I probably shouldn't learn how )