Like every January 16, the international day of croquettes was celebrated yesterday. This dish that seems so Spanish to us, and above all so irresistible, it is actually French. Actually, this is a bit logical since the béchamel sauce, the base of the croquettes, is from there. But we are going to tell you some recipes that do not use bechamel as a base. And others that are so original that we don't even know whether to call them croquettes.
Either way the croquettes are ideal for taking advantage of leftovers, combining flavors, or make your children eat vegetables and Fish. They are also one of the first things babies eat, and even when they are older they are a safe bet for those who are laziest or who have difficulty chewing to eat meat.
Very original croquettes without bechamel
How we have advanced you there are croquettes that do not have béchamel, the classic sauce of flour, milk, butter that is the base of the croquettes. These other croquettes are potato, rice, legumes and vegetables. What is done is cook vegetables, potatoes, rice or legumes and when they are very tender they are crushed and mix with other ingredients.
The pasta is allowed to cool and then the patties with egg and bread, without flour, and fry normally. To get more original croquettes you can grind different cereals, even those of the müesli, if they are not sugary, and replace them with bread. You can use an egg, if it does not have cheese as a binding element, but in many of them you do not need it.
Some examples of these "croquettes" are for example those of different cheeses and boiled potatoes, rice croquettes and pecorino romano cheese, lentils with curry and chicken, broccoli, zucchini or cauliflower with diced ham. With the vegetables you have to be careful that it is very well drained, and the legumes, chickpeas and lentils very well cooked. That they are not hard.
Croquettes for children to eat vegetables
Croquettes are a great way for children to eat vegetables. And speaking of the shapes of the croquettes, do not settle for the elongated ones of a lifetime, You can make them round, square, or even buy a mold to give them another look. A very fun option for children is if you pin them at the end of a skewer.
You can prepare at home leek croquettes with cheese, for this you need 1 leek, and 75 grams of coarse grated soft cheese or in cubes. The idea is to fry the leek and add it to the béchamel sauce. Let cool and when you go to breading put the cheese. If you are going to freeze the croquettes you can add it all at once.
Another great recipe, are the mushroom croquettes, or mushrooms. For this you will have to fry the mushrooms before putting them in the béchamel. We recommend preparing them with garlic, and fine herbs, so that they have a more original flavor. The spinach and pine nut croquettes are already a classic.
Original recipes for stuffed croquettes with fruits
Yes, as you have read, we are now going to give you some very original recipes for croquettes fillings with fruits. Take note:
- Apple croquettes with cheese. For this you need half a pippin apple, half a sweet onion, 100 grams of coarse grated cheese, and a handful of chopped walnuts. With the onion you have to sauté the finely chopped apple. Then add this pasta to the béchamel sauce, and finally the cheese and walnuts and mix well before letting it cool.
- Pear, gorgonzola and walnut croquettes. A variant of the previous recipe is to make it with a pear, and instead of grated cheese with gorgonzola cheese.
- Pineapple croquettes with ham. In this recipe you will have to grind the ham a little and then add it to the béchamel sauce, along with the natural pineapple. It also works in a can, but not in syrup. You can put half a tablespoon of mustard in it and leave it all to cool and then bread and fry.
In all these ideas of original croquettes you can replace the milk in the béchamel with dairy drinks, for those intolerant or vegan boys and girls. The same goes for flour, which you can substitute for chickpea flour. The color of the bechamel will be somewhat different, but the texture is very similar.