LAB NOTES: Oat Cutlets

Hello everyone,
Wayne “The Mad Food Scientist” here.
I’m writing today about a British meatless sausage recipe from World War II that I came across on YouTube. The one I chose to go with was from the I Cook And Paint channel. ( Recipe here: https://icookandpaint.com/meatless-sausagestarving-artist-fare/ )
( Video here: https://youtu.be/sF4uz6RthmA )
I am unable to use a recipe without modding, or tweaking it.
I’ll share the original recipe then show you the tweaks I made for a variant.
I did follow the original recipe, once. To form a baseline. Then I got to tinkering.
I’ve made it taste like hamburger, and a hybrid of Chorizo and Hot Italian Sausage. With the right flavourants, I can make it taste like chicken, lobster, or crab. If you’ve never heard of Better Than Bullion, check it out that stuff is AMAZING!!

The Original from I Cook And Paint:
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup rolled oats, quick or large flake
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning OR 1/4 teaspoon sage, 1/4teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary and 1/4 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
2 teaspoons parsley flakes
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs OR 3 egg whites OR 6 tablespoons aquafaba
2 cups water
1 bullion cube or 2 teaspoons soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS
In a medium bowl combine oats with poultry seasoning (or sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano), fennel seeds, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, red chili flakes (if using), parsley flakes, salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add to oat mixture and stir well to combine. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Oats will hydrate and mixture will be easier to form.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add bullion cube or soy sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.
Form oat mixture into 4 or 5 patties. In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium and fry patties until golden, 1-2 minutes. Flip and brown the other side.
Reduce heat and add hot stock. Allow patties to come to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Discard stock or save for gravy. Return the pan to medium heat and add a little more oil. Fry the patties a second time, flipping after a minute or two. Remove and serve immediately.

Comments: I made this version once, it was okay.

LAB NOTES: 
This version is nearly a Hot Italian/Chorizo hybrid. I snagged the idea from a recipe for Homemade Hot Italian Sausage and a Chorizo sausage recipe online. I have forgotten where I found it. I adjusted the amounts to suit my taste.

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats… 1 cup oat flour reserved.
1 TBSP Dried Parsley 
2 TBSP Italian seasoning 
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 TBSP Fennel seed. Can be ground in a mortar and pestle, or used whole.
1 TBSP Paprika 
1 TBSP Red pepper flakes 
1 TBSP Sage 
1 TBSP Marjoram 
1 TBSP Coriander seeds ground in a mortar and pestle
1TBSP Ground Cumin 
1TBSP Cinnamon 
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 TBSP chili powder
1 TBSP Adobo powder
1 TBSP Mustard powder 
4 TSBP Nutritional yeast 
1 TBSP Minced garlic or granulated garlic
1 TBSB Minced onions or dehydrated diced onions
3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
12 drops Worcestershire sauce
4 Eggs, or 6 Egg whites, or 12 TBSP of Aquafaba
4 cups water
1 TBSP Powdered Ham stock soup base

METHOD:
In a large mixing bowl combine the rolled oats with the seasonings.
 Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the eggs, or the aquafaba to the oat mixture and stir well to combine. 
Form a ball to see if the mixture is the right consistency. It should hold it’s shape. If too dry add more aquafaba a little at a time ( Yes, I’ve used both eggs and aquafaba ). If it’s too wet, add some of the homemade oat flour ( Yes, a future post will cover making your own flour at home. It’s not terribly difficult ) a little at a time.  Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Oats will hydrate and the mixture will be easier to form.
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the Ham stock soup base, and stir. Lid, remove from heat and set aside.
Form oat mixture into patties. The number will vary depending on how large you make them. I borrowed a technique from a video from Refika on YouTube about making falafel ( Yes, there will be a falafel post in future ) and use the filter from an old fashioned espresso percolator to form the patties.
In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil on medium and fry patties until golden, 1-2 minutes. Flip and brown the other side.
Reduce heat and add the hot stock. Allow patties to come to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Discard the stock, or save for gravy. Return the pan to medium heat and add a little more oil. Fry the patties a second time, flipping after a minute or two. Remove and serve immediately.
These patties can be frozen, if you are going to do that, don’t do the second fry-up.
These make very tasty morsels that are very versatile.I’ve eaten them in sandwiches. I’ve also crumbled these into a pot of Chili Non-Carne ( Yes, a future post ). I’ve also used this to make an homage to British sausage rolls ( I know this sounds repetitive, there will be a future post about sausage rolls ).
The beauty of this base recipe is that it is so versatile. 
With a change of seasonings, and flavourants for the stock/broth this oat cutlet can be made to taste like a burger, a chicken sandwich, a crab, or lobster cake This version is an instance of me looking around and deciding “What the heck!” and getting in the DCL, try it, and see what would happen.
I have to say that this is a fun recipe to experiment with. I may revisit it in future posts with other flavours.

Be Well
.