I know we all do it. We visit a restaurant and eat something wonderful and think to ourselves, that seems easy to make. Last week I went out with the girls and my meal came with colcannon croquettes and when I saw them on the menu I though, “ewww.” Colcannon has never been a favorite of mine but when I took the first forkful my mouth was singing. That’s when I said, “I’m going to try making these myself.”
Now I had no recipe but I figured, “how hard can it be?” I suppose without that sort of attitude none of us would give new things a try. Armed with my aunt’s colcannon recipe, my memory and a fridge full of food, I gave it a go.
Was it perfect? No. Was it just like the restaurant? No. Would I make them again? In an instant! They tasted even better than the restaurant and I think it’s because I put just a bit of grated cheddar in my potatoes and after I formed them into croquettes I rolled them in panko crumbs before frying.
First I put the potatoes on to boil and while they were getting all soft and delicious I chopped and sauteed an onion. To get into the colcannon theme I needed cabbage but it was the one thing I didn’t have in the fridge and I wasn’t going to the store. I had a ready solution. Hubs had bought some crispy salad in a bag that was nothing but chopped up cabbage and a bit of carrot and the odd piece of celery. I chopped it up and sliced some leeks and steamed them before tossing them in with the onions. I did a bit more chopping after they were steamed but next time I’d chop more finely.
When the onion and leeks were finished sweating off I tossed in the cabbage and cooked the mixture til soft. By this time the potatoes were done. I drained the potatoes, mashed them and added some sour cream, grated cheddar, an egg and then whipped them up. I added the sauteed onion, leek and cabbage mixture and I was nearly done.
To form the croquettes I put a large spoonful of the potato mixture into my hand and formed into a sort of cylindrical shape. I think I put too much sour cream or too much egg or not enough potato because the mixture was wetter than I would have preferred but I wasn’t going to stop and cook more potato.
Rather than roll the croquettes in panko crumbs, I took the crumbs to the croquettes. When the croquette was formed in my hand I grabbed a handful of panko crumbs and did one side and then flipped it over and did the other side.
I fried them in about an inch of oil and called John to have a taste. He didn’t have anything to compare to because he wasn’t invited to ladies night dinner. I served them with some sour cream and chives and he loved them! He did think they were a bit delicate and maybe next time I should make a stiffer potato mixture.
We ate about 4 between us and the rest I popped in the freezer formed but not fried. When they were frozen I put them in a vacuum sealer and back into the freezer. Next time we want some I’ll take them from the freezer and pop them in the hot oil. It will be snap crackle and pop but they’ll be fantastic!
To be honest, I had no idea what to call these things because I didn’t roll them in egg before the bread crumbs. They’d have fallen apart in the egg! Next time, however, it will be a true croquette. I know some of you try your recipes 3 or 4 times before posting them and that makes me envious. I hope to do that soon. I have a problem with tossing food out and there’s just so much food that will fit in a freezer for just the two of us. You can only give away so much food before people look at you like you’re the woman who has too many zucchini growing in her garden.
- 3 large potatoes or 4 small ones
- 6 tbs butter, cut into small pieces (one tbs for frying veg)
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 2 leeks chopped rather finely
- 3 cups shredded cabbage (or use a crispy salad mix like I did)
- 2 chicken boullion cubes
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 cups panko crumbs (or dry bread crumbs)
- salt and pepper
- Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Probably 20 minutes.
- Drain and mash with 5 tbs butter, sour cream, egg and a bit of milk if they seem too dry.
- Steam all but the onions for about 10 minutes - so you won't get too much color from frying.
- Saute the onion in the butter in a skillet. Add a pinch of salt so they will release their liquid and won't turn brown.
- When the onion is nearly done, crush the two chicken boullion cubes and place in the skillet with the onions.
- Toss in the steamed veggies and mix well. Add more butter or oil if it looks too dry.
- Add the veggies to the mashed potatoes and you're ready to form your croquettes.
- Whisk the egg and place the panko or bread crumbs on a plate.
- Take a large spoonful of the potato mixture and form croquettes.
- Dip in egg and then roll in panko and place on a piece of baking paper.
- Heat oil to 350F or 170C and using a deep fat frying works great
- Place the croquettes into the oil and remove when golden brown.
Mmmm, those look fantastic!
These do look absolutely delicious! Can I have some?
These look amazing, Maureen!
This is really impressive – I often think of re-creating meals / recipes at home, but rarely do it! You’ve done a wonderful job with these.
What a delicious idea and they look like they’d be a real hit at a party! 😀
Yum. Little bites of deliciousness. Thanks for the recipe!
These are making my mouth water – they look fabulous and I think I could eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
These look amazing Maureen! I think I would love the texture and the flavor
What a fun idea! I actually like colcannon anyway…but come on, breaded and fried!? Irresistible.
I love croquettes! These look fantastically delicious!
ooh., it’s to make me hungry., 😀
i want try to make it., 🙂
Croquettes? You’re a brave woman! LOL A couple of weeks ago I published something on German potato noodles, just recently it had dawned on me what the “trick” was. I know how hard these are, and their not-quite-like-restaurant look makes them even more appealing. I bet they were DELICIOUS.
Love these and this recipe. It’s a keeper!
I love this idea!
What a fabulous supper recipe idea, I adore colcannon and anything fried, I know, I am supposed to be on a diet! These look amazing…
I laughed out loud at your comment about your friends looking at you like you are the woman with too many zucchini in her garden. I’m that woman! I love to experiment in the kitchen, but can only eat so much myself and can only seem to give so much away before people start giving me “that look”.
Thanks for stopping by!
RMW
WOW! These look lovely and I bet they tasted it too! Any chance you have nutrition breakdown for these bad-babies?
Hi Patty and thanks for visiting. No, sorry, I don’t have nutrition breakdown. I’m thinking about it and I’m talking with my darling husband about automating that. So far he’s downloaded the USDA food database. We’re considering adding the nutrition feature to our Easy Recipe plugin for wordpress.
These look perfectly golden and delicious!
I love Croquettes, although I had to google “colcannon” to even know what it was! I know what you mean though about sharing your food, people start calling me “bakery” at work 🙂
These look incredible! I have not tried these ever, but I really think I need too! The leeks look so delicious!
wow these look so so good and love the food writer fridays very cool
omg… These look fantastic. I love croquettes so much, I haven’t actually had any in years! I really need to sort that out… you inspired me to try and make some in the week.
Thanks for sharing these – they look amazing, and thanks for dropping by my site earlier 🙂
Oh wow! It does look delicious.. I can imagine how crispy it was outside and then flavorful inside!
I do the same thing! I get so much inspiration when I’m eating out and can’t wait to get back home and try out my favorites! These sound really good! I like how you put your own twist to this with what you had on hand!
I have to try these! Potato croquettes are one of my favorite comfort foods and this incarnation looks amazing (and, yes, I always have cabbage in my fridge:)
You seriously have my attention with this recipe! Especially with how you fried it, oh yes please:-) They really do sound delicious! Hugs, Terra
I also do the same thing Maureen. And I get excited when I hit the mark or even better haha.
I love croquettes and would definitely do the same as you did.
thanks for the blog love maureen… i truly appreciate it.
malou
I am bookmarking this. The flavours sound so amazing and one can go nuts with the variations, can’t they? Thnx for sharing 🙂
They look so delicious. You have come up with a great recipe. I love panko crumbs – they give such a great texture. This is really inspiring. xx
Perfectly cripsy 🙂
So, this was the first time I’ve ever heard of calcannon! Is that an international phrase?
xx
Cath
When I first saw these I wondered “what is colcannon?” But fried pototoes! Any fried potato is good! These look scrumptious!
Hi maureen!
Your croquetts look awesome. I think so I ll be making this later since I am in a deep frying mood.
thanks for sharing!
The croquettes look gorgeous! I also am alway very proud when I manage copying something I enjoyed in a restaurant without any precise recipe. Congratulations!
I have been wanting to make colcannon, but now I am ready to make them like this-I am sure that this tastes amazing. It is fun trying to replicate items you get at restaurants and it looks like you aced the replication. I am definitely saving this-delicious post!
Yikes I don’t know what colcannon is? I feel like a loser. GREG
o.O Yum!! A big, resounding YUM!
I;ve never heard of colcannon but I rarely meet a croquette I don’t like. These look perfect!! I bet they were indeed better than the restaurant 🙂
These look so delicious and decadent, Maureen! Wonderful recipe, so thanks for sharing. You have a very nice blog and I’m glad to have found you!
:-). There are so many things I can say amen to/aye/I agree – tasting something at a restaurant and recreating them at home….even before you leave; Making things from head and heart and tossing things in panko :-). They look delish
Wow…these croquettes look absolutely delicious…..perfectly made !
Hi Maureen – I adore colcannon which makes this the very best of eats. Who can resist this lovely deep fried!
chow 🙂 Devaki @ weavethousandflavors
These look awesome! I adore anything involving hot oil + vegetables, and will always choose things like this on menu’s!
The outer looks so deliciously crisp and the filling sounds lush with the cheese added in! Mmmm! Want!
Reminds me of Spain! Glad I stopped by to see your blog x
I would call them Maureen Croquettes – a brand new original recipe that should go down in culinary history for its wonderful flavor and texture.
I want some now!! Can you send me some? Pretty please with butter on it.
Greg: Colcannon is mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. It’s from the UK – Irish I think and maybe Scotland
Katherine: see above 🙂 You’d love it.
Sneh: Absolutely – mashed potatoes mixed with anything, dipped in egg, rolled in panko and deep fried sings my song.
Maureen, they look absolutely delicious and so well formed.
Believe it or not, I’ve actually made colcannon once before in my life, but it was so long ago that I can’t remember what it tasted like. These little croquettes of yours, or whatever you care to call them,llook simply amazing!!
I do enjoy colcannon, don’t know why I seem to only think of it for St. Patricks Day.
Oh..how crisp and yum these little croquettes look! We make something similar in India and call them as Tikia or Tikkis. Love the veggie combo in it.
Oh so much fun!` I love a good croquette and this tops the cake!
Lovely presentation!!!!yummy
Maureen, I can see I have a LOT of catching up to do with your blog — SOOOO glad you’re back at it again! I just subscribed by RSS feed and I’m looking forward to each and every post! (These croquettes look GREAT and I loved how you winged it as you went!) 😉
I adore croquettes! These ones sound wonderful!
I LOVE croquettes and love the sound of these ones! YUM!
Who has time to try making a recipe 4 times before posting…too many recipes too little time. Well, maybe it’s happened that a recipe got made three times through a longggg period of time ;o) Your first try seems to have hit the spot…even if they were slightly delicate.
I like the way you think Maureen. Great first visit. Now you’ve made me hungry for these snacks too.
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
Haven’t had colcannon in ages but you’ve inspired me with your croquettes. 4 times? Heavens. You’ve done a brilliant job first time around but if you’re looking for an excuse to make them again, count me in as a taster. Wish my girls’ nights out were full of inspiring dishes like this. Last time round I regretted the vinegar in the carafe. Boom-boom.
I have actually never heard of colcannon but now I am intrigued. Your recipe contains everything I like and nothing I don’t and looks fabulous so on the to try board it goes!
Dear Maureen,
These croquettes look absolutely delicious in all their golden brown glory! Thanks for sharing a beautiful recipe.
We visited the south coast recently and two of our meals there had croquettes and they were delicious! 🙂
These look AMAZING! Well done!
These look great! It’s always fun to try to recreate dishes from restaurants. And I really need to try croquettes at some point… I feel like I’m missing out!
I am not gonna lie. I am on a diet, but looking at these, I want to throw it out of the window!
Hi Maureen, I just dropped by to say hi!
these croquettes look absolutely divine! deep-fried goodness indeed!
They look so good! They look perfectly deep fried crispy!
Whether these fell apart in the egg mixture, it’s still is a croquette. Pretty darn and delicious croquettes 😉
These look absolutely divine…
MMMMmmmm Delicious!!!
I love it when I recreate restaurant food and it actually tastes BETTER than the original. Adding cheddar was definitely a delicious idea!
The colcannon croquettes look so crispy and delicious. I’m so glad that I discovered your blog.
Yum, your recipe and pics look delicious! I love anything with leeks!
I like this croquettes very much and good to serve for children’s party 🙂
I love croquettes and it’s my #1 favorite comfort food (really #1), and I almost post my mom’s croquette recipe today but changed at the end. =) Maybe I’ll post it soon. I love yours with lots of veggies. I always think about kids’ nutrition, and this is actually great croquette recipe!
Love this recipe! It looks delicious and so healthy.
Yum these sound seriously amazing! If I saw them on a menu I’d definitely order them.
Your croquettes really look crispy and crunchy!
“Spice it Up”
Delicious croquettes recipe…looks very tasty & crispy! Thanks for posting!
These look delicious Maureen. Mixing veggies and potatoes with a delicious batter fried to a golden turn is always a recipe for deliciousness. 🙂
Testing my new layout 🙂
wow, these look so tasty! come to think of it, i have a lot of the ingredients on hand…maybe i’ll be able to make these for dinner!
I think these look and sound amazing. The bf would definitely eat them too, he is a fan of fried food 🙂 I too am envious of those people that can test a recipe a few times before posting… I do not have enough time or money for that (yet)!
WOW! That is intense! Thanks! 🙂
These sound delicious. You can’t go wrong with all the leek flavor there.
I LOVE this dish!! I am going to try it this weekend. I love croquettes, of any kind.
And I love your website! Yummy recipes :))
What’s not to love about fried potatoes? LOL These were delicious.