This recipe first appeared in the Conservation Issue of Edible Houston. It was part of the spread Love Your Leftovers, a look at creative ways to use leftovers that included recipes for making stock using kitchen scraps, these croquettes and a “toss it together” recipe using beets, labneh and fresh edibles from your own kitchen.

Much to my delight, my recipe for Kitchen Sink Croquettes was also selected in a roundup of 15 recipes to celebrate 15 years of Edible Communities. Since its conception in 2002, Edible communities grew to over 100 titles throughout North America.

Edible Houston was first published in May 2015.

Here is the roundup: 15 Recipes To Celebrate Edible’s 15th Anniversary

Kitchen Sink Croquettes

  • 1 quart milk
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup assorted kitchen scraps (washed peels, stalks and stems)
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4–5 cups chopped leftover cooked meat (I had chicken, turkey and smoked pork shoulder but consider anything from shrimp to mushrooms to shredded beef)
  • Salt and pepper
FOR THE BREADING:
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups homemade breadcrumbs (from ciabatta, for instance)

Bring the milk to a soft boil. Add bay leaf and kitchen scraps. Simmer low for 30 minutes. Strain and cool.

Melt butter in large pot. Add flour, mix and cook for about 5 minutes. Add milk little by little, mixing it in well, to a smooth, silky and batter-like thickness*. Mix in mustard, Worcestershire and season well with salt and white pepper. Taste and adjust if too bland.

Stir in meat and mix well. Pour croquette base into a rectangular dish 13 x 9 inch. Chill overnight. Cut to divide into equal portions of each 1.5 x 3 inch.

Prepare 3 bowls, 1 each for flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs (replenish as needed). Take a portion, roll in flour, then egg and finish with breadcrumbs. Roll between palms to shape into a cylinder and transfer to a plate. Continue until done. Alternatively: shape into balls!

Deep-fry until golden and hot and serve with mustard, a mixed salad and crusty bread for lunch!

*Add 2 teaspoons of gelatin, dissolved in water. It will help keep the croquette base solid during the breading process. I didn’t use any for this recipe as it was solid enough.