Cooking for Good Weather

It's really something that I do. I try to cook certain foods that will trick myself into thinking that the seasons are changing, and Spring is actually here (even though it doesn't feel like it outside). Today, the sun was shining into my apartment and even though I knew it was freezing outside, I pretended it wasn't and I cooked one of my spring favorites:

Chicken & Sweet Corn Croquettes with Roasted Pepper Dipping Sauce

Chicken & Sweet Corn Croquettes with Roasted Pepper Dipping Sauce

(recipe adapted from "Ottolenghi, The Cookbook" by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi) 

Yield: about 20 croquettes

For the croquettes:

2 pounds ground chicken/turkey

1 cup sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen (not canned)

1 large onion, sliced thin and sautéed OR 1/3 cup sautéed onions

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 egg

1 teaspoon + ½ cup olive oil

Heat a frying pan on the stovetop over high heat, add 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the corn, and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. You should smell a burnt-like pop-corny smell…really good. Set aside and let cool. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, onion, parsley, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and egg. Use your hands to smush all together. Mix in the cooled corn.

Cover the chicken mixture with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

Preheat oven 400.

Place a drop of olive oil in the palm of your hands, and rub in….Use a heaping tablespoon of chicken mixture to form into a ball, flatten slightly. Keep moistening your hands with olive oil or water to form smooth croquettes. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Meanwhile, heat a ¼ cup of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken croquettes in batches, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for an additional 7 minutes.