FOOD NEWS
Stick With Low-Moisture Additions When Cooking Potato Croquettes
BY TOM MAXWELL
Croquettes are balls of crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside mashed potatoes that have been breaded and fried, and can easily be customized with tasty mix-ins.
However, high-moisture ingredients can make the croquettes turn mushy or fall apart. Even the mashed potatoes should be drier, ideally left over rather than freshly-made.
The only wet ingredient that should go into the mashed potatoes is an egg or two to bind the mixture. Everything else should be relatively dry, from the add-ins to the breading.
Consider adding ingredients like spices (smoked paprika or cayenne pepper), low-moisture grated cheese, bacon bits or diced ham, caramelized onions, or minced jalapeño peppers.
Avoid adding sauces and condiments, fats like oils and butter, or raw veggies that will release lots of water when they cook, like celery or tomatoes.
If you make mashed potatoes just for use in croquettes, let them cool completely before using them. Just-boiled potatoes contain far too much water, which needs to steam off.
Leftover mashed potatoes make for easier croquettes, since they still have a rich flavor and creamy texture that can be rolled into balls easily, without too much water content.