Vegetable croquettes (fried or baked)

Unlike Clare, I’m not a fan of vegetables. I’m what’s called a fussy eater, and the texture or taste of most vegetables makes me feel queasy. It’s a shame, as it means I can’t just go out on the balcony and pick a meal like Clare can. My solution is to slowly introduce myself to more vegetables through the medium of croquettes.


I can vary the ratio of potatoes to vegetables to get used to the flavours, and change the boiling time of the vegetables to get used to the textures. The croquettes can be fried (as in the photo above) or oven-baked.

Recipe

Makes 6–8 croquettes.

200	g	vegetables (I use potatoes for half of these)
25	g	olive oil
25	g	plain flour
150	ml	milk
1		egg
100	g	breadcrumbs

If baking, preheat the oven to 200°C.

Cut the vegetables into small pieces and boil. Use the olive oil, flour, and milk to make a thick sauce and put it into a bowl. Drain the vegetables in a sieve or colander and then stir them into the sauce. Beat the egg in a small bowl. Make the croquettes by picking up handfuls of the mixture, dipping it in the egg, and then rolling it in the breadcrumbs.

If baking, put in the oven for 20 minutes. If frying, fry with a little oil, turning frequently, until golden brown.