Chicken Croquettes come in numerous variations

Dear Laura: Many years ago there was a Desert Hotel Oasis in Spokane. In the luncheon area they served a marvelous entrée called Chicken Croquettes. It was ground chicken inside a light golden crust and topped with a white sauce. Would there be a chance of getting this recipe? – Carol, from Colfax

Dear Carol: I didn’t find any recipes specifically from the Desert Hotel Oasis, but Chicken Croquettes is a popular recipe that comes in many variations. The classic cookbook “Joy of Cooking” includes a recipe that seems to be the one most often copied or adapted. It includes chicken mixed with a white sauce, battered and fried. This recipe serves it with lemon wedges or cranberry sauce, but other recipes I saw served it with additional white sauce on top. Here’s the recipe.

Chicken Croquettes

From “Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken”

½ recipe Veloute Sauce (recipe follows)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion

2½ cups chopped skinless cooked chicken

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Salt to taste

1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

8 cups vegetable oil or 3 pounds solid vegetable shortening

Lemon wedges or cranberry sauces.

Prepare Veloute Sauce (recipe follows). Set aside

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in chopped onions. Cook, stirring often, until tender but still crunchy, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the Veloute Sauce and cook for 1 minute. Scrape the sauce into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with the cooked chicken, parsley, pepper, thyme, nutmeg and salt to taste. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the mixture and refrigerate until very cold and firm, at least 2 hours.

Spread breadcrumbs and flour in an even layer on 2 separate plates. Whisk the eggs together in a wide shallow bowl.

Drop a generous ¼-cup scoop of the croquette mixture onto the flour and gently roll until the rough ball is evenly coated. Roll in the beaten egg, then transfer to the breadcrumbs and roll until coated on all sides. While rolling, shape the croquettes into an oval, cylinder or pyramid. Set aside on a plate.

Repeat with the remaining mixture to make 8 croquettes.

Heat oil or shortening to 375 degrees Fahrenheit in a deep-fryer or deep heavy pot over medium-high heat.

Gently drop 4 croquettes in the hot fat and fry until deep brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Fry the remaining croquettes in the same manner. Arrange on 4 plates or on a platter and serve with lemon wedges or cranberry sauce.

Yield: 4 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.

Veloute Sauce

From “Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken”

2½ cups chicken stock

4 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup minced mushrooms, optional

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Heat chicken stock, stirring occasionally, in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium, heavy saucepan over low heat.

Stir in flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula, until the roux is fragrant and ivory colored or just lightly darkened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the stock along with the mushrooms, if using.

Return the saucepan to the heat and bring the sauce slowly to a simmer, whisking to prevent lumps. Cook the sauce, stirring often and skimming any skin that forms on the surface, over medium-low heat, without boiling until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, softened.

Yield: About 2 cups