Red and Green Potato Croquettes

Croquettes enable you to eat mashed potatoes with one hand and no fork.

Isn’t that what everyone has been asking for?

Last week we found ourselves driving home in the midst of another blizzard, perfectly bookending the trip with driving north in the snowstorm at the beginning.  I suppose we did yearn for the snow to come with us and prolong our skiing affair…and this was another reminder to be careful what we ask for!  Countless times over the last few weeks I’ve been grateful for 4 wheel drive, high ground clearance, and Finnish made Nokian tires, and last week was no exception.   After seemingly endless hours peering into the whirling whiteness and trying to locate the disappearing highway we finally came to the road heading down into our valley town.  Ah… it’s good to go, and it’s good to come back.  Just like Bilbo.

Enough travel talk, what about food?

These buddies can handle whatever tasty addition you want to add—-herbs, broccoli, bacon, saffron, hot peppers, kale, spices, sauerkraut—they are a great vehicle for experimenting with flavor.

I assembled these on one day and refrigerated overnight, then fried them in the morning of the next day, stored them for six hours in the refrigerator, then baked them for about 25 minutes for the evening meal. How could you not love food that can be prepped ahead?

They also travel well as a road meal—another snack to put on your list of Travel Foods.

Hmm, maybe I should start a page, or a category…

Red and Green Potato Croquettes

Prep Time:  15 minutes    

Cook Time: 30 minutes for potatoes, 15 minutes for frying, 15-30 minutes for baking

yield: approximately 16 medium sized croquettes

Boil or Bake:

approximately 2 1/2  pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes

When cool enough to handle, peel them then mash in a bowl.

Roasting Garlic  

In an oven: Slice off the top of a bulb of garlic so the cloves are exposed, then place top-down onto a small baking pan or ramekin.  Add half an inch of oil and water, cover tightly with foil, and bake 30-40 minutes or until soft.  Let cool then squeeze out the soft cooked garlic.

Stovetop method:  Peel cloves of garlic and simmer in a covered saute pan with 1/2 inch of olive oil and water approximately 30 minutes.

Mix together in the bowl:

4 cups of mashed Potatoes

3/4 cup Parmesan or Prairie Breeze Cheese

1/3 cup Green Onion or Chives, minced

1/3 cup Red Pepper, small diced

2 teaspoons Roasted Garlic

2 eggs

Chill this mixture for 30 minutes.

Prep in 2 small bowls:

2 whipped eggs

2-3 cups bread crumbs (I used gf bread, of course)

Shape the potato mix into 16-20 small patties or logs, dip in the egg then roll in the breadcrumbs. 

In a large cast iron or heavy saute pan heat:

Butter or your favorite Oil

Fry the croquettes a few minutes on each side, then transfer to a baking sheet. 

It’s easiest to fry these in small batches using more butter or oil each time.  

At this point either bake them 15 minutes at 350 degrees to finish, or they can be chilled for the day and baked/reheated for 30 minutes when needed.

This beautiful plate is from my friend and potter Karen Misseldine.

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