Spinach Croquettes
Instructions:
- Quick and crunchy, these lightly thickened spinach patties
are cooked in a pan until crisp on the outside but still
soft on the inside.
Other vegetables you can use: chard or tender kale
(best), collards, arugula, or watercress.
- Salt
- 2 pounds spinach, trimmed of thick stems and well washed
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, Cantal, or other fairly strong cow’s milk cheese
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter (or use more oil)
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the spinach and onion and cook for just about a minute, until the spinach wilts. Drain thoroughly and cool a bit.
- Chop the spinach and put it and the onion in a bowl, along with the eggs, cheese, and bread crumbs. Mix well, then add salt and pepper to taste. If the mixture is too loose to form into cakes, add some more bread crumbs; if it’s too dry, add a little milk or another egg.
- Put half the oil and butter into a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Form the spinach mixture into small cakes (this amount will make 8 to 12) and cook, without crowding—you will have to cook in batches—until nicely browned, adjusting the heat so the cakes brown evenly without burning, about 5 minutes. Turn once, then brown the other side, again about 5 minutes. Continue until all the spinach mixture is used up. Serve hot or at room temperature.