Heart-Shaped Potato Croquettes + Sautéed Butter Mushrooms

From Let's Make Some Lunch

MAKES 12 CROQUETTES

These heart-shaped potato croquettes are crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Pair them with sautéed butter mushrooms for a savoury and earthy flavour. Enjoy the crunch of carrot chips and refreshing cucumber slices. Juicy cherry tomatoes, dried pineapples, and confetti cookies are a colourful treat. Don’t forget to add in a side of ketchup for the croquettes!

FOR THE CROQUETTES

INGREDIENTS

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• ½ cup (45 g) grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup (15 g) chopped fresh parsley
• ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup (90 g) bread crumbs
• Neutral oil, for frying
• Kewpie mayonnaise and ketchup, for serving

TOOLS

• Potato masher
• Baking sheet
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter, optional

FOR THE MUSHROOMS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 pound (450 g) mushrooms (such as button or cremini), sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Fresh parsley or thyme leaves, optional

METHOD

Heart-Shaped Potato Croquettes

• Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water for about 15 minutes, until tender.
• Drain the potatoes and mash them thoroughly with a potato masher. Add salt, pepper, Parmesan, and parsley. Mix well.
• Spread the potato mixture onto a baking sheet and let cool in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
• Remove from the refrigerator, then use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 12 croquettes. If you don’t have one, you can mould the croquettes into heart shapes.
• Roll each croquette in flour, dip it in beaten egg, and coat it in bread crumbs.
• Heat about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry the croquettes until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
• Transfer the croquettes to paper towels to drain.
• Serve hot with kewpie mayo and ketchup or your favourite dipping sauce. Cool completely before adding to your lunch!

Sautéed Butter Mushrooms

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they start to brown and release their moisture, 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook until the mushrooms are cooked to your desired tenderness, 2 to 3 more minutes.
• Remove from the heat and garnish with fresh parsley or thyme leaves, if desired.

Crispy Salmon Rice Paper Bites

From Let's Make Some Lunch

MAKES 6 - 10

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces (340 g) boneless, skinless salmon
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 to 10 pieces rice paper
• 1 bunch green onions, cut into 1- to 2-inch (2.5 to 5 cm) pieces
• Soy Dipping Sauce (page 125), for serving

METHOD

• Pat dry your salmon and cut into bite-size (about 1-inch/2.5 cm) pieces.
• In a medium nonstick pan over medium heat, preheat the oil.
• Season both sides of your salmon with salt and pepper and then add to the pan, searing on each side for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Lightly dunk a piece of rice paper in a bowl of cold water until pliable and start assembling your wraps. Add a piece of salmon in the middle and top it with two to three pieces of green onion.
• Then start carefully wrapping! Fold in the bottom and then the sides, and then roll the salmon upward. Repeat the process with remaining pieces of salmon.
• To the same pan with oil from the salmon, add the salmon bites. Cook over medium heat until golden brown and crispy, about 1 minute on each side.
• Remove from the heat and serve with soy dipping sauce!

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Cream Cheese–Stuffed French Toast Sticks

From Let's Make Some Lunch

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces (113 g) cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 slices of bread (white, whole wheat, or your preferred type), toasted
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (120 ml) milk
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

FOR SERVING

• Powdered sugar
• Maple syrup
• Blueberry Compote (page 73)

METHOD

• In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
• Spread the mixture evenly onto four slices of toasted bread. Top with the remaining four slices to make sandwiches.
• Cut each sandwich into sticks, about 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide. Remove the crusts, if desired.
• In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, milk, and cinnamon.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt, spreading it evenly across the surface.
• Dip each toast stick into the egg mixture, allowing it to soak for a few seconds on each side. Shake off any excess liquid and place the sticks onto the hot skillet.
• Cook until golden brown and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes on each side, working in batches if needed.
• Transfer the toast sticks to a paper towel–lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
• Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with maple syrup, or served with blueberry compote.