cybercat wrote:
> Okay, first, I am not a big meatloaf fan, but my husband is. Second, I had a
> perfectly nice recipe that involved adding tomato with the celery and onion,
> but he does not like it. What he likes: the recipe with the seasoning packet
> by McCormack spice company. 
The one with titanium dioxide and plutonium
> in it.
>
> Question: those of you who do not add anything tomato-based to your
> meatloaf, what spices do you add? I would like to get off the McCormack
> stuff. The recipe, which I like other than the chemicals, calls for 1.5 lbs
> ground beef (I use lean), 1/2 cup milk (I use skim) one egg, and the
> seasoning packet. All goes inside a plastic bag, which I can do without as
> it is just as messy as without. I add finely chopped onion and celery, and
> instead of white flour cracker or bread crumbs, this last time I got
> adventurous and added ... that's right! Oatmeal. Two packets of
> single-serving, plain Quaker Oats instant oatmeal. He liked it just fine.
> The consistency of the meat loaf is soft, but not, errr, gelatinous, as one
> might expect.
> It even passed the cold sandwich test, which is when I told him there was
> oatmeal in it! Imagine, meatloaf that can help sweep cholesterol out of your
> system.
>
> TIA.
>
I am a big meat loaf fan, if you do a google group search of joseph
littleshoes + meat loaf you will find a dozen or so of recipes i have
posted, from the simple to the complex. I sometimes make a meat loaf
layered with slices of eggplant and served with a brandy, garlic pesto.
But ordinarily, i put onion, green pepper, celery, carrot, garlic
through the food processor and reduce them to a puree, also, perhaps
most importantly 1/4 head of cored cabbage per pound of meat, pureed, is
essential IMO, but i put cabbage in a lot of things that don't
ordinarily call for it. Ask me about my boiled meat loaf or google
group search 'sou fassum provencal" + joseph littleshoes.
These are then added to meat, i often use only turkey with sage, but
beef, pork & veal are very nice. Oregano, cumin, or any spice one likes.
For an extender i like to use oat or wheat bran, i like the flavour it
adds but am not unwilling to use Italian seasoned bread crumbs. If you
have access to Zataraigns Creole seasoning i would recommend that.
I will add a 1/2 cup of stock or wine to a 2 pound meat loaf mix, it
will seem a bit soupy, but when well mixed it bakes up into a nice
almost pate like consistency. Great for slicing thin for sandwiches.
The best recipe i have ever found, and the basis for my experimentation
is Leah Wolfs in her book Jewish Cookery.
Here's the recipe, use stock if at all possible.
Meat Loaf
from Leah Wolfs "Jewish Cookery
_______________________________
1 & 1/2 pound ground beef (i recommend ground sirloin but it can be made
with chicken or turkey or any combination of ground meats one desires)
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs or boiled rice
1 large onion, grated or pureed in a food processor.
1 large carrot pureed
1 (or more, to taste) cloves of garlic, grated or pureed with the other
veggies
2 whole eggs
1/4 cup stock or water
ketchup
Combine all ingredients except ketchup, mix very well, form into a
loaf, place in loaf pan, pressing into shape of pan. Coat the top with
enough ketchup to thinly cover the top of the loaf. Bake in a preheated
oven at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes.
The ketchup may be left off, and if so cook till top is nicely browned.
_________
The above is a very simple easy to make and delicious meat loaf, if the
veggies are pureed to a liquid state and used the loaf will have a pate
like consistency and can be sliced very thin for sandwiches. If your
feeling adventurous i have a recipe for a "ratatouille" meat loaf that
calls for eggplant, spinach, mushrooms tomatoes and a host of spices as
well as both beef and ground turkey. Its very complex and unusual but
also very good.
---
JL