Croquette is a compact fried rolled food made using mashed potatoes along with minced meat (usually chicken, turkey, veal or beef), soaked white bread, vegetables, fish and shellfish, onion, spices, egg, herbs, wine, beer, milk or any of the mixture thereof, at times with a filling, commonly enclosed in breadcrumbs. The croquette is normally shaped in a cylinder form or disk form and then deep-fried. Croquette recipe can be made in many variations. Popular recipes include- Celery Croquettes, Pea Croquettes, Egg Croquettes, Rice Croquettes and Ham Croquettes.
History of Croquette
The term Croquette is a derivative of the French term croquer which stands for "to crunch" and was invented by the French that got popular world over being relished as a delicacy and also as fast food.
Ingredients Used and Popular Methods of Preparation of Croquette
Basic croquette recipe makes use of bread crumbs in either rolled form or ground fine powder forn. A dilution of lightly whipped egg with double the amount of water must be made and placed on a pie plate. The bread crumbs are rolled, dipped in egg and then deep fried in oil until it turns brown. A combination of one-third clarified suet to two-thirds of good shortening is recommended for frying. The fried croquettes are then taken out of oil and drained on unglazed paper.
Serving and Eating Croquette
Croquette can be served as a finger-food accompanied by a dipping sauce, as an entree such as a single meatloaf, commonly covered with a white sauce for gravy, as a sandwich filling or also as a dessert. Croquettes are can also be revived as leftovers. Turkey leftovers from Thanksgiving can be dished out as turkey croquettes.
Popular Croquette Recipe Variations
Alu chop or "potato croquette" is a common croquette served throughout Bangladesh, mostly as an appetizer or snack. In Belgium 'kroketten' a croquette recipe variant with a filling of mashed potato are normally served as a side dish over winter holiday occasions, like Christmas. In Brazil Croquettes mostly made using beef, are available in many regions as German fare. In China Sweet croquettes made using sweet-pumpkin are commonly served during Dragon Boat Festival. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Plain potato croquettes are served as side dish in eateries and are also sold frozen in supermarkets. Cuban/Puerto Rican croquettes called as croquetas are commonly made in croquette recipe using ham, beef, chicken or fish. In Czech Republic Krokety refer to tiny balls normally made out of potatoes, eggs, butter, salt and flour deep fried in oil. In northern India a croquette with potato filling known as Aloo tikki is very popular and is classically had with a stew. In Japan a comparative of the croquette, called korokke is a popular fried food, widely sold in supermarkets and butcher shops and also at specialty korokke shops. In Mexico croquette recipe uses tuna alternately chicken and potatoes. The Filipino 'croqueta' is a derivative of the Spanish counterpart different from the bechamel-filled croquetas in Spain, Filipino croquette recipe uses mashed potatoes and chopped meat or fish, commonly leftovers.