Vegetarian Meatloaf: Remade from Joan Crawford’s recipe, Starring her film: Mildred Pierce, 1945

In this post: Joan Crawford’s Life, Her Favorite Recipe, and a few of her Favorite Beauty Products!

Last week I re-watched one of my favorite movies from the Golden Age, Mildred Pierce. Yes, the characters are as black and white as the celluloid. The swelling score paired with Mildred’s martyrdom would be cringe-worthy if made in 2020, but it was so earnestly made in 1945 that I can’t get enough of it.

Actually Joan Crawford was quite capable of giving an authentic performance and in this film there are a few scenes where she’s vulnerable and even raw. Thus, in honor of her, I found a favorite dish of the star and decided to re-make it for a 21st-century vegetarian crowd.

I recommend making this a day in advance, then put together a salad and mashed potatoes the next day and sit down with a glass of wine to enjoy this great film! Toast Joan Crawford and thank her for the meatloaf, and the movie too.

Crawford made a mean meatloaf. She played a restaurant owner in Mildred Pierce and her greasy spoon is just the kind of place you can imagine serving a dish like this. Joan’s recipe is heavy duty, made with sirloin and veal, eggs and sausage.

This is why I’ve chosen to pair a meatloaf (redux) with the intense drama for which she was awarded the Oscar. Mildred Pierce is as dripping with melodrama as Joan’s meatloaf drips with the juices of a carnivore’s delight.

This meatloaf will be hearty like the original, but without the meat. You have to use your imagination here: it’s the concept we’re after. Joan was so interested in staying young and beautiful that I have to think she might have been a vegetarian if it were all the rage back then. Okay perhaps that’s a stretch.

I’ve been drawn to Crawford from the first time I saw her, in the 1932 movie Grand Hotel. Given the stories about her, I might easily be turned off, but there’s more going on.  Maybe it’s because when she’s acting, the pain behind the eyes of this truly hardscrabble, self-made woman comes to life.  Her humble beginnings give her the fury it took to turn herself into a myriad of iron-willed characters, and into the larger-than-life movie star that was Joan Crawford. This touches me, keeps me glued to her films, even after multiple viewings. 

In Grand Hotel, she plays a young stenographer, having to make her way in a man’s world by catching the eye of John Barrymore. Despite the star-studded cast which includes Greta Garbo, she is a stand-out.

Just 27 years old and married to Douglas Fairbanks Jr., her real life was full of optimism and it showed on screen. Her eyes sparkle as she looks at Barrymore, and her ending is happy.

In actuality Joan’s life began to mirror the roles she took, and as her life became more difficult with failed marriages and abuse of alcohol, she took on a tougher screen persona as well.

Thirteen years had passed between Grand Hotel and Mildred Pierce. In 1945 Joan was on her 3rd marriage, to actor Phillip Terry. She aspired to be a devoted wife and to create a happy home with lots of homemade meals, but it wasn’t to be. Terry was bored with his life. He loved his vodka and Joan soon joined him on a regular basis, which led to the demise of their relationship.

In 1945’s Mildred Pierce, Joan plays a woman in her middle years, who is also unhappily married. She separates from her unfaithful husband and has to find a way to survive and to support her children.

She is adamant about keeping her daughter Veda replete with piano and singing lessons, but finding work is not easy. She ends up taking a server job at a coffee shop, owned by the wonderful Eve Arden. She is so smart and efficient that before long she opens her own successful restaurant.

Now, before we get to the recipe, let’s have some fun looking at ways to mimic Joan’s beauty routines.  Calling 1945…

Joan’s Favorite Beauty Products:

Joan Crawford was famous for going the extra mile to maintain her good looks.  She used ice to tighten her pores by filling a bowl with icewater, then dunking her face and holding it under water as long as possible.  She also used to demand that the temperature be kept low in the movie studio where she was working so that her skin would appear tighter. She used lemons to keep her elbows soft and white.

She also had a few favorite products. (You can click on the highlighted text below if you’d like to give them a try!)

Her Perfume: Youth Dew by Estee Lauder, 1952.This eau de parfum reflects Joan’s elegance. It’s a blend of flowers like rose, jonquil and lavender, with spicy middle and base notes of jasmine, vetiver and moss. My mother wore this and it’s still popular today.

She used Erno Laszlo Intensive Night Cream to keep her face moist, which contains a mix of natural oils to help dehydrated skin.

She liked his Deep Sea Mud Cleansing Bar as well.

RECIPES:

Here now is Joan Crawford’s original meatloaf recipe, followed by my vegetarian version. If you’re interested in a real trip back to 1945 and you can stomach this dreadful dish (sorry Joan), try her original recipe and let me know how it goes!

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Ground Sirloin
• 2 lbs Ground veal
• 1 lbs Jones Bulk pork sausage
• 3 Raw Eggs
• 1 Large Bermuda Onion, finely chopped
• 2 green peppers , finely chopped
• 3 Tbsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• 3 Tbsp Worcester Sauce
• 3 Tsp A1 Steak Sauce
• 4 Hard Boiled Eggs
• 1 Cup Water

Directions:

Combine meats, raw eggs, onion, peppers, 1 tablespoon Lawry’s seasoned salt, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon A-l sauce.

Mix thoroughly.

Shape mixture into oval loaf form in shallow baking pan.

Gently press whole hard-boiled eggs into loaf.

Sprinkle remaining Lawry’s seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce and A-1 sauce on top of loaf as a crust.

Pour water in base of pan.

Bake in preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes.

Turn oven down to 300° and bake for 30 minutes.

Turn oven down to 250° and bake for 45 minutes to 60 minutes, basting frequently with pan juices.

VEGETARIAN VERSION

        Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 5 oz tempeh
• 4 green bell peppers
• 6 green onions
• Salt to taste
• Handful parsley
• 10 Greek olives, pitted and diced
• 1 cup cooked red lentils (or 1 15 ounce can)
• 3 eggs
• ½ cup parmesan
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp Braggs liquid aminos OR soy sauce
• Red Pepper to taste
• Dried Basil to taste
• *5 tbsp Tomato Paste
• *1 tblsp Liquid Hickory Smoke

Directions:

Pre-Heat Oven to 450 degrees

Brown tempeh in pan until crispy

Add green bell peppers and cook until soft, add salt to taste (the green peppers are very important to the flavor of the recipe)

Add green onions to pan and continue to cook for just a few minutes. The onions shouldn’t be cooked fully.

In mixing bowl, blend together: lentils, eggs, parsley, olives, breadcrumbs, parmesan, red chili pepper, basil, and Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

*If you like the traditional ketchup/Tomato Sauce topping: Combine the tomato paste and liquid smoke, to taste, and coat your loaf prior to cooking.

Press into Baking Dish and bake at 450 for approximately 35 minutes. The sides should be crispy.

Let cool for 10 minutes and top with chopped parsley. Serve with mashed potatoes and green salad. (And Pop some champagne if you’re into that. It is a refreshing drink for this largely cooked meal.)

NUTRITION NOTES

Tempeh is made of fermented soybeans, which makes it a highly digestible form of soy. It has no taste on its own but it gives a meaty texture to recipes.

Organic Soy (see this link to my post on benefits of soy) has bioflavonoids which are antioxidants that provide cellular protection. It is also high in protein.

Lentils are high in fiber and protein; a great option for any hearty meal. The bell peppers, onions, parsley and olives all provide healthy antioxidants.

Mildred Pierce doesn’t have a happy Hollywood ending, but she prevails over her resentful daughter and continues to thrive successfully in business.

One can say the same about Joan Crawford. She cuts off her daughter Cristina, for better or worse, but in the end she’s the one who will be remembered. I can’t say I’d love her personally, but from the glow of the screen, I salute her and am happy to dine in celebration of her brilliance.

To learn more about Joan Crawford, I highly recommend the podcast You Must Remember This. 

If you enjoy reading about Old Hollywood, check out my article on Ava Gardner here.

If you’d like more information about Joan Crawford’s beauty routine, you can see Laura Jane Atelier’s post here.

Do you enjoy Old Hollywood classics?  Let me know your favorites in the comments section below!