Potato Croquettes

Makes: 4 servings

Time: About 25 minutes, made with leftover mashed potatoes

 

The combination of mashed potatoes inside and crunchy coating outside is irresistible and worth the effort (you can use leftover mashed potatoes if you have them). I prefer panfrying croquettes, though you can certainly deep-fry them if you like.

Other vegetables you can use: Jerusalem artichokes

• 4 cups Mashed Potatoes (page 233, made with minimal milk and no butter)
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• All-purpose flour for dredging
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten in a shallow bowl
• Fresh Bread Crumbs (page 678) for dredging
• 2 tablespoons butter or more oil
• Lemon wedges

1. Taste the potatoes and season them with salt and pepper if necessary, taking care not to oversalt. Put 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, just until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Cool the onion a bit, then stir into the potatoes. Wipe the pan clean. Form the potato mixture into 4 large or 8 small patties.
2. Set out the flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls next to each other on the counter. Dredge each patty in the flour, coat with egg, then dredge in the bread crumbs, pressing to help the crumbs adhere; set aside on a plate or a sheet of wax paper.
3. Add the remaining oil to the pan, along with the butter or additional oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the oil is hot, cook the patties as you would hamburgers, turning carefully to keep the coating intact as each side browns, about 5 minutes per side. Since all the ingredients are already cooked, the crust is your main concern; the interior will get hot as long as the exterior browns. Drain briefly and sprinkle with more salt and pepper if you like. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.

Potato Croquettes, Indian Style Vegan and delicious: Start with vegan mashed potatoes and use all good-quality vegetable oil. Use cornstarch instead of flour and omit the eggs and bread crumbs. As the onion finishes softening in Step 1, sprinkle it with 2 tablespoons curry powder, chaat masala, or garam masala. V

Potato Croquettes, Japanese Style Super-crunchy: Use all good-quality vegetable oil. Replace the onion with ¾ cup chopped scallions and substitute panko for the bread crumbs. To make a simple dipping sauce, combine the juice of 2 lemons with 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or serve with Dashi Dipping Sauce (page 657) or Ponzu (page 657).

Potato Croquettes with Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Omit the onion and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Instead, stir 2 heads mashed Roasted Garlic (page 205) into the potatoes in Step 1, along with 1 cup grated Parmesan. Terrific with Fast Tomato Sauce (page 312).