Croquettes Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms and Sauerkraut
Croquettes, delicious bite-sized delights enjoyed by food lovers around the world, have become popular in various cuisines. Originating in France, croquettes, also known as croquetas, are typically made with a mixture of seasoned meat, vegetables, and sometimes cheese. These delicacies are then breaded and fried to perfection, resulting in a crispy exterior and a flavorful, moist center. In Poland, croquettes, referred to as krokiety, are often filled with minced meat, sauerkraut, mushrooms, or cheese. Served as an appetizer or a main course, both French and Polish croquettes showcase the creativity and ingenuity of their respective culinary traditions. Whether enjoyed in a Parisian bistro or a Polish family gathering, croquettes epitomize the joy of savoring indulgent and delectable worldwide cuisines.
Croquettes and Beet Broth Soup: A Staple in our Holiday Celebrations
In my family, croquettes complementing beet broth soup, also known as borsch, are a timeless tradition and a beloved dish. Whether we gather together to celebrate Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, this delectable combination always finds its place among our hot hors d'oeuvres or small hot entrees. The crispy texture of the croquettes, paired with the rich and flavorful beet broth soup, creates a truly wonderful and satisfying experience for the palate. Each bite is a delightful reminder of our memorable family foraging adventures for mushrooms, making our own sauerkraut, and fermenting fresh beets to make the most flavorful beet broth as we often incorporate these earthy gems into the mix. As we come together to enjoy this culinary masterpiece, our hearts and taste buds are filled with warmth and joy. Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!
Croquettes Stuffed with Wild Mushrooms and Sauerkraut
By Zosia Culinary Adventures | Date: October 16, 2023
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Yield: 14 portions
Ingredients to make the crepe batter: you will require to use a crepe pan between 6 to 9” in diameter
250g bread flour or all purpose flour
2 eggs
a pinch of salt
30g melted butter
250ml lukewarm milk
250ml mineral water(carbonated) room temperature
clarified butter or grape seed oil for baking
Ingredients to make the stuffing:
500 g sauerkraut, finely chopped
50 g dried wild mushrooms
60 g onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon parsley leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
salt and pepper to taste
Ingredients for coating croquettes:
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 eggs
sunflower oil
Instructions:
Rinse the wild mushrooms and pre-soak them in the boiled water overnight or at least for six hours.
The following morning, cook the mushrooms in the same liquid (lightly salted) for an hour or until soft. Strain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Cut mushrooms into very small pieces or use food processor to achieve a minced texture consistency.
Finely chop the sauerkraut into small pieces and rinse it to remove excess acid level as per your taste buds. I personally leave it as it is because I’m using my homemade sauerkraut.
Pour mushroom liquid into the saucepan and bring it to boil. Add sauerkraut, lower the temperature and let it simmer covered until soft in texture and liquid has been mostly absorbed.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a deep frying pan. Add chopped onion and fry over medium heat, until the onion starts to turn translucent. Lower the temperature, add sauerkraut, finely chopped mushrooms and flour. Stir all the ingredients.
Cook on lower temperature covered for 15 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent mixture from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Take off the heat, add chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to match your taste buds. Set aside until further use.
In meantime, prepare crepe batter.
Whisk egg, salt, milk and mineral water in the bowl.
Add sieve flour a little at the time, whisking each portion into the liquid to make a smooth batter.
Mix in the melted butter.
Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Heat a small quantity of oil in a crepe pan
Use ladle to pour in sufficient batter 1/4 cup( 60ml) to just cover the base of the pan very thinly. Shake the pan to distribute it evenly.
Cook until it is a light golden brown (1-2 minutes)
Turn the crepe over and cook this side now to the same color.
Divide the stuffing ( approximately 2-3 tablespoons) between 14 crepes. Place stuffing in the centre of each crêpe and spread out, leaving the sides free.
Fold right and left sides of crepe over the filling. Fold the bottom of the crepe to make a spring roll or tortilla wrap look like. At this point you can just refrigerate the croquettes until you ready to coat and serve them as you wish.
To coat the croquettes, prepare 2 shallow plates: one with the eggs beaten and one with the breadcrumbs.
Dip the croquettes in the egg and then roll in breadcrumbs.
Fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side Add more oil if necessary. You may need to roll them around to make sure they get golden all around. Place them on a towel-lined plate to soak the extra grease.
Serve the croquettes on its own or paired with the rich and flavorful beet broth soup Borscht.
Nutrition Facts as per One Serving: 🧡
Calories 211 | Fat 8.2 g \ Saturated Fat 3.2 g\ Cholesterol 57 mg\ Sodium 568 mg\ Total Carbohydrate 27.8 g\ Dietary Fiber 2.4g \Total Sugars 2.8 g\ Protein 6.6 g \ Vitamin D 20 mcg\ Calcium 73 mg\ Iron 2 mg\ Potassium 158 mg