Krokiety Recipe Polish Croquettes

KROKIETY RECIPE (POLISH CROQUETTES)

Steps:

• Drain the sauerkraut (drained sauerkraut should weight 1 lb (450g)), combine in a medium pot with dried mushrooms, bay leaves, and allspice berries. Add water, enough to cover the sauerkraut and mushrooms. Cook, partially covered, over medium heat for about 45 minutes or until the sauerkraut is soft.
• Dice the onions. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a big frying pan. Cook the chopped onion with caraway for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until soft and translucent. Add marjoram, cook for another minute, transfer to a plate.
• Wash the cremini mushrooms and pat them dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/4-inch (½ cm) slices. Increase the heat to high, add another tablespoon of oil and chopped mushrooms. Don't stir for the first 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms are browned at the bottom, then stir and cook until the mushrooms release water. Cook until it evaporates, stirring from time to time, then cook until nicely browned, transfer to a plate.
• Drain the cooked sauerkraut with mushrooms. You can reserve the liquid, it can be used to enhance the flavor of many soups, including Polish Christmas Eve Beet Soup. Discard bay leaves and allspice.
• To chop the filling, you can use a food processor or just chop it with a big knife on a chopping board.
• Add the cooked sauerkraut with mushrooms, pan-fried cremini mushrooms, and sauteed onions to the food processor bowl. Pulse several times to chop finely (but not to a paste consistency). Season the filling with salt and pepper, to taste.
• You can also add finely chopped prunes to the filling. It's important to chop them with a knife by hand and not process in the food processor with the rest of the filling (or it will come out too sweet).
• Prepare the crepe batter: Simply mix all the ingredients, season the batter with salt and pepper. You can do that with a blender, hand mixer, an immersion blender, food processor, or even by hand (with a whisk). I prefer to mix the batter with a blender - it's the quickest way to mix the ingredients and the batter is more smooth. If you'll whisk the batter by hand it will have small lumps, but this is also ok and your crepes will be fine.
• Leave the batter to rest: Cover the bowl with plastic foil or a kitchen cloth and leave it on the counter for about 30 minutes.
• Cook the crepes: Brush the pan with a small amount of butter (I'm only adding the butter before the first crepe, but you can brush the pan with butter between each crepe if you wish) over high heat. The pan should be well heated. Holding the pan in one hand (it shouldn't be on the burner) and the bowl or blender jar in the other, pour in a small amount of batter, tilting and swirling the pan simultaneously until the batter evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Place the pan on the burner and cook for about 15-30 seconds.
• When the edges of the crepe look dry and lacy and its bottom is golden brown, it's ready to be turned over.
• Slide the spatula under the crepe (make sure it doesn't stick to the pan), loosen its edges, and flip it over.
• Cook on the other side just briefly, for about 10 seconds, until set. Transfer on a plate. Repeat with the rest of the batter.
• Place about 2 heaped tablespoons of filling on each crepe. Fold it like you would fold a burrito: fold sides into the middle and then roll up the bottom tightly to the top. Some people spread the filling all over the crepe, leaving some border, and then fold them up. It's important to fold them tightly - they will be easier to fry.
• Dip each croquette in beaten eggs then roll them in breadcrumbs until coated on all sides.
• If you have some leftover egg and breadcrumbs you can double-coat the croquettes (dip them again in beaten egg and coat in breadcrumbs). The breading will be thicker and even more crispy!
• Heat clarified butter or vegetable frying oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook the croquettes until golden brown on all sides (in batches). Change the oil if it gets too brown from the breadcrumbs. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess fat.
• Serve with barszcz (Borscht) and enjoy!