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River Road Rice Croquettes

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Fried" by James Villas


Recipe Introduction

"Rice has been a major crop in Louisiana and Arkansas for well over a century, and at the stately plantations that line River Road along the Mississippi from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, the number of rice dishes that come out of the large kitchens is staggering. Similar to the sweet calas of New Orleans, these savory croquettes would typically be served either at a lavish breakfast or brunch or as a side dish with roasted meats and poultry. You can also add grated cheese, ground ham, minced cooked chicken, and other herbs or spices to the batter and serve the croquettes as a main luncheon dish with a favorite salad."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ cups boiled, cooled rice
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced onion
â—¦ ½ cup buttermilk
â—¦ 2 large eggs, beaten
â—¦ ½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
â—¦ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
â—¦ Tabasco sauce to taste
â—¦ Peanut oil for deep frying
â—¦ ½ cup dry bread crumbs


Recipe

In a bowl, combine the rice, flour, and onion and mix quickly till well blended but the rice still holds its shape. Add the buttermilk, eggs, thyme, salt and pepper, and Tabasco, mix till the batter is well blended, and let stand for about 25 minutes.

In a deep fryer or large cast-iron skillet, heat about 2 inches of oil to 365° F on a deep-fat thermometer.

When ready to fry, form the rice mixture into small ovals about 1 ½ inches in diameter and roll in the bread crumbs. Fry in the oil till golden brown, about 2 minutes, turning once with a slotted spoon, drain the croquettes on paper towels, and serve hot.

Makes 4 servings