Here’s another recipe from Mike!  Bein’ that I still have some leftover turkey in the freezer, I may just have to make these this weekend!

Turkey Croquettes

Back just before the year 2000 there was a business plan that made the papers where a company would be formed to buy the leftover food from the world’s great restaurants and freeze it for shipping to gourmets around the world.  I don’t know whether it worked or not, but it was a novel approach to the question of what to do with leftovers, especially after the holidays.

Here is a good idea for something to get rid of a little more of the Thanksgiving Monster.   They are especially good to make and freeze for a quick meal later  when you’ve had a long day at the office.

Any poultry will work, and you get a whole new flavor if you substitute crab meat for the turkey.  If you bake these, they are low in fat, high in fiber, and addictive.  They have more flavor fried (OK – so what doesn’t?) which is fine if you can stand the calories.

Turkey Croquettes

Mike Amason

Makes about 24 croquettes 2-1/2” diameter.   Leftovers freeze well.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds leftover turkey (or 2 chicken breasts, cooked)
  • One large onion, any color
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 stalk celery
  • ½  green bell pepper
  • One whole green chili or jalapeno pepper or ½ tsp cayenne
  • 2 Tbsp Olive oil
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp paprika to sprinkle the patties if baking them
  • ½ cup sour cream or mayonnaise
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1-1/2 cups SR flour

Baked:  Preheat oven to 375° and grease a cookie sheet with Crisco
Fried:  Preheat ½” of your favorite vegetable oil in your favorite frying pan

Run chicken and vegetables through a food processor one item at a time and combine in a two quart mixing bowl.  Adding the olive oil to the carrots makes them chop better. Mix sour cream, beaten eggs, and spices in well before adding flour.  You will end up with a bowl of sticky paste that can be formed into patties that will hold their shape.

Scoop out balls of the paste to whatever size you like.  The quantity mentioned above assumes balls slightly larger than a golf ball flattened into patties roughly 2-1/2” in diameter by ½-3/4” thick.

Arrange on cookie sheet, sprinkle with paprika, and bake 30-35 minutes, or fry in oil and turn when edges turn brown. They are done when brown on top and bottom.  Drain on paper towels before serving.  Baked croquettes will not get as brown as the fried ones, but that doesn’t hurt a thing.

Baked Croquettes

These are wonderful served with a pot of large dried lima beans cooked with a ham hock, zucchini strips salted and peppered and sprinkled with parmesan cheese and roasted in a 375° oven for 15 minutes (Why waste the heat when the oven is hot?  You have two racks in there for a reason), steamed broccoli, or just a plate of fresh biscuits.  These make outstanding leftovers and are a good finger food hot or cold.

A good red pepper sauce or a hot pepper vinegar is a great accompaniment for these as is a good chow chow.