So I wasn’t entirely sure what to call these at first. I initially thought ‘nuggets’ but knew that wasn’t the right word; so thanks to an individual who messaged me asking if they were more like nuggets or croquettes, I immediately thought ‘CROQUETTES!’ So croquettes they are!
I used a mix of potatoes and some cauliflower. I know potato croquettes usually call to pre-cook the potatoes then mashing them before forming them into shapes; but for these, I simply peeled then shredded the raw potatoes. Raw potatoes do release a lot of water though, which is really important to keep in mind, so I left them in a strainer and let the liquid drain out while I prepared the rest of the ingredients.
I also wanted that added bite, not just the mashed potato texture, so I decided to keep my potatoes raw and shred them instead! I formed the mixture before rolling them onto some bread crumbs.
These potato and cauliflower croquettes turned out so crisp on the outside and really soft yet chewy on the inside. I would really recommend deep drying them but if you’d like, you can opt to pan fry them in shallow oil though it may take longer to cook and not brown as evenly as when deep-fried.
I had to stop myself from eating everything before when I finished cooking these because I knew I had to shoot them. But I did have a few pieces and enjoyed them when they were freshly cooked.
I am now also adding this to my go-to recipes for food to bring to school because they’re so fun to eat and I can already imagine myself snacking on these while walking to class.
You can also make these in any shape you want! I made these the second time around and shaped them into balls.
Anyway, you can check out the full recipe below! It’s quite a big batch but you can of course store leftovers in the fridge and just reheat them in the oven toaster when ready to eat. Enjoy!
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Potato and Cauliflower Croquettes
Makes 35-40 croquettes
4 cups shredded raw russet potatoes (from 4 medium sized potatoes)
2 cups roughly chopped cooked cauliflower (from 1 large head)
2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp ground chia or flax seed meal + 6 tbsp room temp. water
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tbsp + 1 tsp salt
Dash of black pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cup/s Japanese breadcrumbs or breadcrumbs of choice, for rolling
Tomato ketchup for dipping
Canola oil, for frying
Steam or boil the cauliflower until cooked, but not too overcooked as it will be mushy. Drain excess water. Slice them into small cubes. I prefer chopping them with a knife instead of processing them but you can also very quickly process them until they’re in small chunks.
Peel the potatoes and then shred them (I used a cheese grater). Place the potatoes in a strainer to drain out any excess liquid while preparing the other ingredients. Note that the potatoes will naturally turn brown once sliced and exposed.
In a small bowl, mix the chia/flax seed meal with the water. Leave to thicken for 5 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower, chia/flax ‘egg’ mixture, potatoes, garlic, basil, all purpose flour, salt, and pepper. Mix together until well incorporated. The mixture will be a little wet due to the potatoes that release water.
Form into whatever shape you’d like. Roll each one onto some breadcrumbs until coated throughout.
Heat a pan with some oil. Test the heat by placing a little breadcrumbs. If it bubbles, it's hot enough. Carefully add in the croquettes. Leave to cook until golden brown and crisp, moving and flipping halfway through. Once cooked, place in a strainer or on plate with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
Pair with ketchup or your dipping sauce of choice. Enjoy while hot! You can also refrigerate leftovers.*
Note: Considering this is large batch, you can fry everything then store the rest in the refrigerator after cooling them to enjoy the next day. You can reheat them in an oven toaster for 10-12 minutes on 350F until crisp.
