Cooks are always looking for tasty recipes that use left-overs. A hundred-years-ago croquettes were a popular way to use left-over vegetables, meats, and other foods. Often the croquettes were shaped into balls or small cylinders, and then fried.
I don’t make croquette recipes very often because I worry about whether fried foods are healthy. But I recently came across a recipe for Rice and Celery Croquettes that called for baking the croquettes rather than frying them, so I decided to give the recipe a try. The croquettes had a nice breaded coating, and a delicate onion and celery flavor.
Here’s the original recipe:
500° F. seemed like a very high temperature and I was concerned that the top of the croquettes would burn before the centers got hot, so I baked the croquettes at 425° F.
The ingredient list called for strained tomatoes, but the directions referred to tomato juice, so I used tomato juice. Rather than grating the onion, I finely chopped it.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Rice and Celery Croquettes
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato juice
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon beef extract or bouillon powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fine plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons cold water
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 425° F. Put the beef extract powder or bouillon powder and tomato juice in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the extract/bouillon powder Set aside.
Mix together rice, celery, onions, 1 egg, salt, and tomato juice with beef extract/bouillon. Shape into croquettes. I made round croquettes that were about 1-inch in diameter.
Put bread crumbs on a plate, then roll the croquettes in the breadcrumbs. Dip the coated croquettes in a beaten egg that has been mixed with two tablespoons water, then roll again in the bread crumbs.
Put the croquettes in a overproof baking dish or skillet. (I used a cast iron skillet). Dot top of croquettes with small pieces of butter. Place in oven and bake until the croquettes are lightly browned (about 35 minutes). If they are not sufficiently browned, increase oven temperature to 500° F. and bake for several additional minutes. Remove from oven and serve.
www. ahundredyearsago.com
A Hundred Years Ago 
When I first read the description, I thought they sounded… Tasteless. But when I read your recipe, they sound delicious! Were they?
The recipe sounded much better when you rewrote it. I have made rice cakes in a frying pan with a little oil, but they fell apart. Baking may be a better option.
Interesting. I’ll have to consider this but we usually don’t have celery on hand…
This just might be the answer to left over rice and that extra celery . Thanks.
These sound wonderful!!
Looks mighty tasty. I’m there with you on the fried foods. I didn’t realize that about history croquettes. That’s a handy idea. Thanks for another easy recipe and an interesting bit of trivia.