In the original Joy of Cooking, Irma Rombauer wrote, "The chicken is a world citizen." Those words of wisdom have certainly withstood the test of time. They may even be truer today than they were in 1931. The draw of chicken is obvious: it's low fat, inexpensive, and easy to prepare--yet it can also be so... dull. As the star of its own volume in Joy's All About series, it truly shines.
A classic croquette is a mixture of very thick veloute sauce and cooked poultry that is shaped, breaded, and deep-fried. This old-fashioned but extremely satisfying dish may be served with a sauce or a squeeze of lemon juice. Accompany the croquettes with a green vegetable and mashed potatoes or rice.
Servings: 4
1/2 recipe Veloute Sauce (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onions
2 1/2 cups chopped skinless, cooked chicken
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
8 cups vegetable oil or 3 pounds solid vegetable shortening
Lemon wedges or cranberry sauce
Prepare 1/2 recipe Veloute Sauce with following recipe using 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1/4 cup flour. Set aside.
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat: Stir in chopped onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still crunchy, 7 to 10 minutes.
Add the reserved Veloute Sauce and cook for 1 minute. Scrape the sauce into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with the cooked chicken, parsley, ground white or black pepper, thyme, nutmeg , and salt to taste. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until very cold and firm, at least 2 hours.
Spread bread crumbs and flour in an even layer on 2 separate plates.
Whisk the eggs together in a wide shallow bowl.
Drop a generous 1/4-cup scoop of the croquette mixture onto the flour and gently roll until the rough ball is evenly coated. Roll in the beaten egg, then transfer to the breadcrumbs and roll until coated on all sides. While rolling, shape the croquette into an oval, cylinder, or pyramid. Set aside on a plate.
Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 8 croquettes.
Heat oil or shortening to 375 degrees F in a deep-fryer or deep, heavy pot over medium-high heat.
Gently drop 4 croquettes in the hot fat and fry until deep brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Fry the remaining croquettes in the same manner. Arrange on 4 plates or on a platter and serve with lemon wedges or cranberry sauce.
