I love food.
I bought my first cook book when I was a bachelor in the mid-seventies. I think it was the Fannie Farmer cook book. I lived in Windsor then and a huge blizzard arrived one day. Somehow, my best friend managed to make it to my apartment for a visit before the roads became impassable. We were having beers and watching television when my friend said that a bowl of his mom’s vegetable beef soup would really be great. I think both of us were surviving on bologna sandwiches and Campbells’ soup back then.
My friend called his mother and jotted down her recipe for the home-made soup. We trudged two blocks to an A&P store to buy the ingredients. Then, we dutifully followed the recipe and several hours later….Voila! For two twenty-something bachelors having totally uneducated palates, it was a “eureka” moment. I bought the Fannie Farmer cook book the next day.
Since then, I’ve enjoyed cooking for family, friends and myself. My daughter, Lisa, was always my biggest culinary cheerleader, probably because I doted on her and strived to make lots of her favourites.
I appreciate all varieties of food…From the simple chili hot dog to some fancy stuff. By the way, the best chili dog I’ve ever had is at Lafayette Coney Island in downtown Detroit. If you’re ever in Windsor, it’s worth a trip across the border, just five minutes away. However, here is a recipe for something different that takes a little more time to prepare but it’s worth it: Chicken croquettes. Try them for dinner one night with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. (Please exercise caution when deep-frying the croquettes.)
CROQUETTE BATTER:
1 CUP OF MILK.
1 CUP CANNED CHICKEN BROTH.
2 TEASPOONS CHOPPED PARSLEY.
¼ TEASPOON WHITE PEPPER.
1 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.
1 CELERY STALK, MINCED.
8 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER.
1 AND ¼ POUNDS CHICKEN MEAT, COOKED AND GROUND MEDIUM-FINE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR.
BREADING:
2 EGGS.
2 CUPS MILK.
3 CUPS BREAD CRUMBS.
3 CUPS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.
PINCH OF SALT.
GRAVY:
3 TABLESPOONS UNSALTED BUTTER.
3 TABLESPOONS ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.
2 CUPS CANNED CHICKEN BROTH.
2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED PARSLEY.
PINCH OF SALT AND WHITE PEPPER.
TO MAKE THE CROQUETTES, HEAT THE MILK AND CHICKEN STOCK IN A SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT. SEASON WITH PARSLEY AND WHITE PEPPER. MELT THE BUTTER IN A DIFFERENT SAUCEPAN AND ADD THE CELERY OVER MEDIUM HEAT. COOK FOR TWO MINUTES. ADD THE FLOUR AND STIR TO MAKE A PASTE, COOKING ANOTHER 3 MINUTES. GRADUALLY, ADD THE HOT LIQUID, WHILE WHISKING AND BRING TO A BOIL. WHEN IT’S THICK AND SMOOTH, FOLD IN THE CHICKEN MEAT AND SET ASIDE IN A BOWL.
WHEN IT’S COOL ENOUGH, SHAPE THE ABOVE MIXTURE INTO CROQUETTES. YOU SHOULD HAVE ENOUGH FOR ABOUT 12 CONE-SHAPED CROQUETTES, EACH ABOUT 3 INCHES HIGH AND 2 1/2 INCHES IN WIDTH. STAND THEM ON A WAX PAPER-LINED COOKIE TRAY.
WHISK THE EGGS, MILK AND SALT IN A BOWL. PUT THE FLOUR IN A DIFFERENT BOWL. PUT THE BREAD CRUMBS IN ANOTHER BOWL. DIP THE CROQUETTES INTO THE EGG MIX, THEN INTO THE FLOUR (COATING EVENLY), AND SET ASIDE. FINISH BREADING THE CROQUETTES BY DIPPING THEM BACK INTO THE EGG MIXTURE AND ROLLING THEM AGAIN IN THE BREAD CRUMBS. SET THE CROQUETTES ASIDE ON A LINED COOKIE SHEET.
NOW, FOR GRAVY, MELT THE BUTTER IN A PAN AND STIR IN THE FLOUR. POUR IN THE CHICKEN BROTH AND WHISK UNTIL SMOOTH. BRING TO A BOIL, THEN REDUCE THE HEAT TO A SIMMER AND COOK UNTIL SLIGHTLY THICK…ABOUT 15 MINUTES. ADD FRESH PARSLEY, SALT AND WHITE PEPPER TO TASTE.
NOW, HEAT ABOUT 4 INCHES OF OIL IN A DEEP POT UNTIL THE OIL IS ABOUT 350 DEGREES FARENHEIT. FRY THE CROQUETTES IN BATCHES UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN…ABOUT 3 MINUTES. DRAIN THEM ON PAPER TOWELS. TOP THE CROQUETTES WITH THE GRAVY.
