Potato and Beef Croquettes

From The Japanese Kitchen by Hiroko Shimbo

5-8 servings

3 lbs potatoes
2-3 Tb veg oil or butter
14 oz (2 med) onions, chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
2 Tb minced parsley
salt and pepper
1/2 tea ground nutmeg
1 tea Worcestershire
1/2 c all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2-3 c panko
veg oil for deep frying
mixed salad greens
Tonkatsu sauce

In a large pot of water, simmer the whole potatoes, with their skins, until the potatoes are soft. Drain the potatoes, discarding water. Peel and cut into quarters. Return potatoes to teh empty pot, and dry-cook them over med heat, shaking the pot back and forth, 1-2 min. Transfer to a bowl and mash. Set aside.

Heat a skillet and add the veg oil or butter. Add the onions and cook them over med-low heat, stirring, until they are soft, 3-4 min. Add the beef to teh skillet and cook over high heat until the liquid has evaporated, stirring continually to break the lumps into crumbles. Add the parsley, and give several stirs.

In a bowl, combine the potatoes with the onions and beef. Add the salt and pepper, nutmet, and Worcestershire. Let the mixture cool, and then refrigerate, covered, for 20 minutes.

Divide teh mixture into quarters adn form each quarter into a thick log. Cut each log into five pieces. Shape each piece into an oblong, flat patty, about 3 inches by 4 inches. make the remaining 19 patties.

Put the flour, beaten eggs, and panko into 3 separate bowls. Dredge each patty with flour. You can prepare the patties to this point one day in advance, and store them in the refrigerator, covered. Dip each patty in egg. Pat the patty well with the breadcrumbs to cover every surface. At this point you can freeze the croquettes, well wrapped, for later use.

Heat 2 inches veg oil in a deep skillet to 370 degrees. Cook several patties at a time until they are golden, about 2 minutes. Serve hot croquettes over salad greens, with the tonkatsu sauce poured over or served in a saucer on the side.