Making Something Out Of Nothing

Do you ever completely misjudge something? It has taken me a while to get used to not cooking too much in one go when it comes to dinners. Meat based leftovers have such a short life span that leftovers are usually wasted. So most of the time leftovers are minimal, but every now and again I totally misjudge quantities. For example, the other weekend my parents came over for a meal which included mashed potato. So I was over catering to begin with, but went completely over the top. I had a ridiculous amount of leftovers and was loath to waste them. What to do, what to do?

Vegetable croquettes of course! They can contain anything that you have on hand. If you've got other leftover veg (or meat), chuck 'em in. A can of beans? Chuck 'em in. Pretty much anything can go into them.

Crispy on the outside, hot and squishy on the inside.

Again, this isn't an actual recipe, just an idea, a bit of inspiration.

Vegetable Croquettes
Suggested ingredients

• leftover mashed potato
• finely chopped leek, shallot, celery, garlic, cabbage, brussels sprouts
• grated swede
• any vegetable puree you may have
• cooked lentils
• tinned beans (kidney, cannellini, chickpeas etc)
• egg(s)
• salt 
• crumbs
• oil for frying

Method  

1. Saute or steam any raw vegetables
2. Mix them through the mashed potato adding salt to taste.
3. Add as many lightly beaten eggs as necessary to moisten your vegetable mixture (unless you went completely over the top, one is probably enough).
4. Take about a tablespoon at a time and shape into a log and coat in crumbs.
5. When they are all done heat enough oil for shallow frying in a frying pan and cook in batches until they are golden on the outside and hot through. 
6. Drain on paper towel if necessary.
7. Try not to burn your mouth as you shovel them in.

Hubby thought that I had bought them and not just thrown them together from leftovers.