Recipe: Potato and Wild Rice Croquettes With Mushroom Gravy

Serves 5 to 8.

Note: These croquettes are delicious with mushroom gravy, or with any cranberry sauce that might be part of your holiday meal. The dish could also be made with black rice, red rice or millet, instead of wild rice. From Robin Asbell.

Gravy:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 4 oz. cremini or button mushrooms, minced

• 1 c. vegetable stock

• 2 tbsp. dry sherry

• 2 tbsp. tamari or mushroom soy sauce

• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. tapioca or cornstarch

• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Croquettes:

• 2 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled (1 1/4 lb.)

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 1/4 c. packed leaves of fresh sage (1 .75-oz. container), finely chopped

• 2 tbsp. unsweetened almond milk or milk

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• Oil for pan

• 1 tbsp. tapioca or cornstarch, or 1 egg

• 1 c. pecans, finely chopped

To make the gravy: In a medium pot, drizzle the olive oil and place the pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and stir for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms. Stir frequently until the mushrooms are browned and shrunken.

In a cup, combine the vegetable stock, milk, sherry, tamari and tapioca. Whisk to combine. Pour into the mushrooms, and whisk as the sauce thickens, reducing the heat to medium. Whisk in the black pepper. Once the gravy is thickened and bubbling, take it off the heat. Keep warm, or transfer to a storage container to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To make the croquettes: Cook the wild rice by bringing 3 cups water to a boil in a small pot, then adding the wild rice. Cook for about 20 minutes for hand-harvested wild rice (40 minutes or more for cultivated wild rice). When tender, drain and let cool.

Cut the potato into chunks and place in a steamer. Steam until very tender and they can be easily pierced with a paring knife. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Mash the potatoes until smooth. Measure 3 cups.

In a sauté pan, drizzle the olive oil and place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and stir until they start to sizzle, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the sage and stir until the sage is fragrant and dark green, about 2 minutes. Transfer the contents of the pan to the bowl with the potatoes, scraping to get all the oil and herbs.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a sheet pan with a rim and reserve. Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized portions of the potato mixture and form each into a disk about 1 1/2 inch wide. Place on a plate, cover and chill until cold, about an hour.

In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons water and tapioca and whisk to make a slurry (or whisk 1 tablespoon water with the egg). Place the pecans in a small bowl.

Dip each croquette in the tapioca or egg, then in chopped pecans, pressing to adhere. Place on the sheet pan, leaving an inch of space between.

Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully turn the croquettes and bake for 10 minutes longer. While the croquettes bake, reheat the gravy, if needed. Serve the hot croquettes with gravy.

Nutrition information per each of 8 servings:

Carbohydrates27 gSaturated fat2 gTotal sugars3 g

Protein6 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber4 g