Seafood Croquettes

I do enjoy my seafood and one has an excuse to splurge on more expensive seafood during the holiday season.

If your budget allows, you can certainly go 100% with crab meat for this appetizer (or main) but this seafood alternative is delicious, relatively easy and not too hard on the budget.

I've tried many crab, seafood, cod cakes and often there is too much filling or they fall apart or they are greasy from being fried. I think I've avoided all these problems with this seafood croquette.

After trying different approaches to seafood croquettes (cakes), I've found boiled, mashed potato to work best as a binder. I'm also a big fan of Japanese Panko Flakes and if one is to use breading in a recipe, Panko is the way to go!

Late last year, I showed you my Mustard Skordalia and I recently served it alongside with the seafood croquettes. They made a perfect match!

Finally, my recipe is a "no fry" croquette. These are decadent enough so, to offset any guilt from eating these, I baked them so as no one will hesitate to come back to the tray for more.

Seafood Croquettes
(makes 2 trays)

400gr. good quality crab meat, shredded
400 gr. of de-boned salt cod
400 gr. of shrimp, peeled and de-veined
400 gr. of bay scallops
4 medium potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
2 scallions, finely diced
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. Herbs de Provence
juice of 1/2 lemon
Panko bread crumbs
cooking spray

400F oven

1. The day before you are to make your croquettes, soak your salt cod in a bowl of water and change the water every few hours to draw the salt out of the cod.
   
2. Boil the cod in water for about 5 minutes, let cool and reserve.
3. Peel and place your potatoes in boiling salted water for 15 minutes. Drain the water and mash the potato. Reserve.
4. In a large skillet, pour in your olive oil on medium-high heat. Add your onion, celery, red pepper and reduce to medium heat and cook to soften for 10-12 minutes. Add your scallions, mix in well and take of the heat and allow to cool.
5. Peel, de-vein and rinse your shrimp, rinse your scallops and shred your boiled cod fish using your hands. Pat dry all seafood of any excess water. Roughly chop your shrimp and scallops (rough dice).
   
6. Into a large bowl, add your seafood, mashed potato, cooled sauteed vegetables, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, herbs de provence, paprika, lemon juice and mix all the ingredients well with your hands.
7. Make one croquette and fry it off to taste test for seasoning and binding. Adjust accordingly with salt and pepper and you may add some bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet.
8. Using your hands, form the mixture into patties. In another bowl, pour in your Panko bread crumbs.
9. Coat your seafood croquettes well with the Panko bread crumbs and place on a baking tray that's been treated with cooking spray.
10. Bake on the middle for 12-15 minutes, then flip the croquettes and bake for an additional 12 minutes. Serve warm with Mustard Skordalia.

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