The day after Thanksgiving, your refrigerator may seem to have more things than the day before Thanksgiving. Hopefully, you’ll have big bowl of leftover mashed potatoes. Here’s a wonderful way to use up those “leftovers” creating a treat for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
In French cooking, a galette is a general term denoting a flat, usually round freeform “cake.” It can be a real cake, or here it can be a patty made of mashed potatoes. Galettes are augmented by having ingredients on top or included in the patty itself. With mashed potatoes, you have what a chemical engineer would call a “transport platform.” Something to convey flavor galore.
The suggestions below are largely onion-based, but you can add whatever suits you: chili powder, diced peppers, bits of cooked bacon, … The possibilities are endless. The physical contrast of biting through a hard crust and then encountering soft mashed potato is a delight. You can keep trying flavor combinations from Friday through Sunday!
Potato Croquettes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mashed potatoes
- 1 large egg
- Flavoring: ½ cup sautéed onions, 1 tablespoon onion flakes, 5 sliced scallions, 1+ tablespoon of chopped thyme, 1+ teaspoon garlic powder, …
- 1 cup of flour in a medium bowl
- 1 large egg, beaten in a medium small bowl
- 1 cup bread crumbs in a medium bowl
- 2 tablespoons butter
Preparation:
Place the mashed potatoes in a bowl. Beat in one large egg. Add any [one or more] of the flavoring ideas.
Divide the mixture into 8 portions by creating a ball and then flattening into a disk about 1 inch thick. Dust one portion with flour. Then dip it into the beaten egg and then gently cover with bread crumbs. Place the portion on a plate, and repeat with the remaining portions.
Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a cast iron pan. Carefully, gently place the croquettes in the pan. Cook on one side on medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, until the lower side is dark brown and firm. Flip, once, and cook another 5 minutes. The galettes are best when the top and bottom have some black spots.
Remove from the heat, pat dry with paper towels and serve immediately.
Individuals will want to add their own salt and pepper. For an elegant appearance, you can garnish with sour cream topped with scallions.
Source: Adapted from The Joy of Cooking