Croquettes

Croquettes are made with a base of meat, fish, egg, cheese, nuts, rice, beans, or other vegetables. These need to be combined with either white sauce, egg, starchy vegetables as potato, rice, cereals, or crumbs.

The crumbs:

Use crumbs from outside of loaf for first coating, use crumbs from inside of loaf for second coating. Season crumbs before using. Cracker crumbs are not desirable as they give a " pasty " crust.

The egg:

The whole egg is preferable. Add water equal to volume of egg. Beat slightly. If white alone is used, add to each white 1/4 tbsp. oil, 1/4 tbsp. water. If yolk is used alone, add 1/4 tbsp. cold water to each yolk.

Note : The white alone gives a tough crust; the yolk gives a tender crust.

The fat for frying:

The fat should be unburned lard, or crisco, free from particles of previous frying.

Use a flat-bottom frying kettle, keep an iron gas spreader over the gas jet, and do not allow fat to bubble to rim of kettle.

Test fat, timing the browning of a piece of bread. Fry croquettes made with previously cooked mixtures about 40 seconds. Fry croquettes made with uncooked mixture 60 seconds.

Drain croquettes on absorbent brown paper. Croquettes may be reheated in the oven or double boiler.

Rice Croquettes

Ingredients:

1/2 c. rice

2-3 tbsp. milk

1 egg

2 tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. salt

1/16 tsp. pepper cayenne

2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Method:

Boil rice. Add milk, butter, seasonings, and beaten egg. Cook in a double boiler and cool. Form into balls, roll in sifted crumbs, shape, dip in egg, and reshape. Chill. Fry in deep fat.

Potato Croquettes

Ingredients:

2 c. hot riced potatoes 2 tbsp. butter 1/2 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/4 tsp. celery salt cayenne few drops onion juice yolk 1 egg

1 tsp. finely chopped parsley milk if necessary

Method:

Add ingredients in order given to the potatoes. Proceed as for Rice Croquettes.

Cheese Croquettes

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. butter 1/4 c. flour 2/3 c. milk, yolks 2 eggs

1 c. cheese cut in small cubes 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 tsp. salt paprika

Method:

Make a white sauce of flour, butter, seasonings, and milk. Add beaten yolks and cheese. Cool. Proceed as for Rice Croquettes.

Nut And Raisin Croquettes

Ingredients:

1 c. stale bread crumbs

1/2 c. milk

1 c. chopped nut meats

2 egg yolks salt pepper

1 c. chopped raisins

Method:

Soak bread in milk until soft. Add nuts, seasonings, beaten yolks, and raisins. Proceed as for Rice Croquettes.

Chicken Croquettes

Ingredients:

3 1/2 c. chopped chicken 1 tbsp. parsley onion juice 2 tsp. lemon juice

Make 1 pt. of very thick cream sauce:

1 pt. cream and milk 1/4 c. butter 1/2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. celery salt cayenne

Method:

Add the sauce to the chopped chicken and seasonings. Cool. Proceed as for Rice Croquettes.