CHICKEN CROQUETTES

By BobD

Ingredients

• 1 cooked three-pound chicken (see recipe)
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• 6 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup flour
• 2 cups fresh or canned chicken broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 4 egg yolks
• A pinch to 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt, if desired
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup fine, fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons water
• Oil for deep frying
• Mushroom sauce (see recipe), optional

Details

Servings 16
Adapted from events.nytimes.com

Preparation

Step 1

Remove the meat from the chicken. Discard the skin and bones.

Chop the chicken meat finely. There should be about two and onehalf cups. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until onion is wilted and sprinkle with the six tablespoons of flour. Stir with a wire whisk. Add the chicken broth and cream, stirring vigorously with the whisk. Add the yolks and cook about 30 seconds, stirring. Add the cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste and one-half cup of the bread crumbs.

Combine the chopped chicken meat with the sauce. Blend well. Set aside until thoroughly cooled.

Divide the mixture into 16 equal portions. Shape each portion into a round. Roll the rounds in the remaining one-quarter cup of flour. Shape the rounds into any desired shape: pyramids, cylinders, spheres, or flat cakes.

Beat the egg with the water. Roll the croquettes in the egg mixture and then in the remaining bread crumbs. Press to help crumbs adhere. Shake off excess.

Heat the oil for deep frying. Add the croquettes a few at a time and cook about four minutes or until golden brown. Serve, if desired, with mushroom sauce.

Poulet poche (Poached chicken)

1 three-pound chicken
Water to barely cover
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, scraped and cut in half
1 rib celery with leaves, cut in half
12 peppercorns
Salt to taste, if desired

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cover and bring to the boil. Let simmer 30 minutes.

YIELD One cooked three-pound chicken