Seafood Croquettes
Submitted by hbrooks1229
Crispy golden seafood croquettes with a creamy, nutmeg-spiced filling rolled in bread crumbs and fried until crunchy. Freezer-friendly and served with tomato mayonnaise.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThere’s something deeply satisfying about biting through a shatteringly crisp bread crumb crust into a warm, creamy seafood filling.
These croquettes start with a thick béchamel base flavored with onion, celery, and a pinch of nutmeg, then get loaded with cooked fish or shellfish (salmon, shrimp, scallops, or whatever you have on hand).
Roll them in bread crumbs, fry until golden, and serve hot with a tangy tomato mayonnaise on the side.
Best part? They freeze beautifully, both cooked and uncooked, so you can stash a batch for those nights when you need something special in a hurry.
Pro Tips
- Use any combination of cooked seafood you like, from salmon and shrimp to scallops and crab
- The mixture should be thick enough to hold its shape when rolled, so don’t skip the flour paste step
- Fry in small batches so the oil temperature stays steady and the croquettes brown evenly
- Freeze uncooked croquettes on a sheet pan first, then transfer to bags so they don’t stick together
Ingredients
Directions
Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until soft.
Add the flour, stirring to form a paste.
Add the milk and nutmeg and cook another minute or so until mixture thickens.
Meanwhile, place bread crumbs on a plate.
Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl and add the fish, parsley, chives, salt and pepper.
Using 2 forks, mash the fish into the mixture.
Drop tablespoon dollops of the mixture into the bread crumbs.
Roll each dollop in bread crumbs, then between the palms of your hands to form balls.
Set croquettes aside on a plate while making the rest.
Fill a medium-sized cast iron or other heavy skillet with a 1½-inch depth of oil and place over medium heat on the stove.
Heat the oil to frying temperature--350 degrees F.
When the oil is hot enough for frying, a droplet of water will dance across the surface of the hot oil and evaporate.
Drop croquettes carefully into the hot oil.
Fry croquettes, in batches if necessary, without crowding the skillet, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, remove croquettes from the oil as they are done and drain on paper towels.
Place a linen napkin on a platter and arrange the croquettes in a pile.
Serve immediately and accompany with tomato mayonnaise.
To freeze the mixture: Place croquettes on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and place in the freezer.
When the croquettes are frozen, transfer them to airtight plastic bags or a lidded freezer container.
Cook frozen uncooked croquettes directly from the freezer, increasing cooking time to 5 minutes.
To freeze cooke croquettes: Cool cooked croquettes to room temperature, uncovered.
Place in an airtight plastic freezer bag or lidded container.
Label and place in freezer for up to 3 months.
To cook frozen cooked croquettes, place on a cookie sheet and place in preheated 375℉ (190℃) F oven for 20 minutes.
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