Lentil Croquettes

Name: Lentil Croquettes
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 bay leaves; 237 milliliters crisp, fine breadcrumbs; 2 Tbsps cornstarch; 1 teaspoon dried basil; 1 teaspoons dried leaf sage, crumbled; 1 teaspoons dried thyme; 1 large egg (optional); 3 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered; 0 teaspoons Tabasco or similar hot sauce; 296 milliliters lentils; 118 milliliters crushed Nutri-Grain or other no-sugar-added corn- or wheat flakes; 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (see tip, below); 118 milliliters uncooked oatmeal; 2 teaspoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon paprika; 4 servings Salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper; 4 servings Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 59 milliliters unbleached all-purpose flour; 887 milliliters water, preferably spring or filtered

Lentil Croquettes is a dairy free main course. This recipe serves 4. This recipe covers 29% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. One portion of this dish contains about 24g of protein, 5g of fat, and a total of 441 calories. Head to the store and pick up salt and plenty of pepper, unbleached flour, garlic, and a few other things to make it today. To use up the breadcrumbs you could follow this main course with the Apple Strudel as a dessert. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes about 45 minutes.

Instructions

Combine the lentils, water, and bay leaves in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook, half-covered, until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool, then drain off any excess liquid and set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Bay Leaves

Lentils

Water

Equipment you will use

Pot

When ready to complete the croquette batter, combine the lentils with all the other batter ingredients in a food processor. Buzz until the garlic is pureed and a soft, somewhat goopy paste is formed.

Ingredients you will need

Lentils

Garlic

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Let the batter rest, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days.

Combine the breadcrumbs and cornflake crumbs in a bowl. In a second bowl, make a seasoned flour by combining the flour, nutritional yeast, paprika, sage, salt and black pepper, thyme, and olive oil and tossing together well. In a third bowl, beat the egg, if using, with a tablespoon of water.

Ingredients you will need

Salt And Pepper

Nutritional Yeast

Corn Flake Crumbs

All Purpose Flour

Breadcrumbs

Olive Oil

Paprika

Thyme

Water

Sage

Egg

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Place the bowl of croquette mixture next to all this, along with a nonstick baking sheet or one that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Spray

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Bowl

Using 2 large spoons, form a slightly flattened fat oval 3 to 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Drop it into the seasoned flour.

Ingredients you will need

Seasoned Flour

Sprinkle the top of the oval of batter with more flour and lift it out of the flour with your fingers. Dip the batter oval into the egg, which will coat it, though it will resist in spots. Drop the egg-coated ball into the crumbs, and, with your fingers, roll it around. When coated with this second jacket of crumbs, place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the batter.

Ingredients you will need

All Purpose Flour

Roll

Dip

Egg

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Spray the crumbed croquettes very lightly with olive oil (if you have some in a spray bottle) or cooking spray.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Spray

Olive Oil

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turn very gently using a thin-bladed spatula, and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes. The crumb coating should be crisping up nicely; if it's not, run the croquettes under the broiler for a few moments.

Equipment you will use

Broiler

Spatula

Serve hot, as soon as possible, with a sauce such as Mushroom-Miso-Mustard Gravy. Leftovers can be served in buns, with all the fixings.

Ingredients you will need

Mushrooms

Mustard

Gravy

Sauce

Roll

Miso

• Nutritional yeast is a savory molasses-fed yeast that's rich in B-complex vitamins and protein. It is widely available in bulk at natural food stores.

Ingredients you will need

Nutritional Yeast

Molasses