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Carolina Jam Croquettes

Source of Recipe

From "Essentials of Southern Cooking" by Damon Lee Fowler


Recipe Introduction

"First cousin to New Orleans calas, jam-filled rice croquettes are an old-fashioned — indeed, almost archaic — Lowcountry treat, but they're delicious and deserve to be returned to modern tables, not just in the Lowcountry, but everywhere."

List of Ingredients

2 cups whole milk or half-and-half
½ cup sugar
1 cup raw long-grain rice
Whole nutmeg in a grater
1 lemon
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
½ cup raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, or damson plum jam or preserves
1 cup fine cracker crumbs or dry bread crumbs
Lard or peanut or canola oil, for frying
Superfine or confectioners' sugar, for dusting the croquettes


Recipe

Put the milk in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often to prevent scorching. Add the sugar, stirring until it is dissolved, and then add the rice. Bring back to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, loosely cover, and simmer, fluffing occasionally with a fork to be sure it isn't scorching, until the rice is very soft, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Add a generous grating of nutmeg. Grate in the zest from the lemon, then cut the lemon in half and, through a wire mesh strainer, squeeze in the juice from one of the halves. Sprinkle the flour over all and stir until evenly mixed. Spread it on a platter to cool. When it is almost room temperature, turn it into a bowl and stir in the eggs, then spread it on the platter once again, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 2 hours.

Moisten your hands; scoop a tablespoon of rice into one hand and make an indentation in it with your thumb. Fill it with ½ teaspoon jam and cover with another tablespoon of rice. Seal the edges together and gently roll it into a ball. Lightly roll it in the crumbs and put it on a clean, dry plate. Repeat with the remainder of the rice and jam. Refrigerate, uncovered, until you're ready to fry.

Put enough lard or oil in a deep skillet or enameled iron Dutch oven to come halfway up the sides. Warm it over medium-high heat until it is hot but not quite smoking (375° F).

Add enough fritters to fill the pan without crowding and fry, turning once if necessary, until uniformly golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly, blot briefly on absorbent paper, then transfer the fritters to a wire cooling rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining fritters. Dust generously with confectioners' sugar and serve piping hot.


Serves 4