These popular little roulettes, although comparatively new to the tables of most private families in America, hold their place well where they have been once introduced. Like the patÉ, their name is Legion as regards shape, nature and quality.

In a housewifely conversation with a lady a few months since, the word “croquette” chanced to escape me, and I was caught up eagerly.

“Now,” with an ingenuous blush, “do you know, I was offered some at a dinner-party the other day, and was completely nonplussed! I thought croquet was a game.”

“Croquette!” I interposed, making the most of the final t, and e.

“The gentleman who sat next me said ‘croquay,’ very plainly, I assure you. But never mind the name. What are they made of? Hominy?”

“Yes,” returned I. “Or rice, or potato, or lobster, crab, salmon, halibut, cod, chicken, turkey, duck, game, veal, lamb, or beef. In short, of all kinds of fish, flesh, fowl, and vegetable. The smaller varieties are familiarly known to readers of cookery-books as ‘olives’ of meat, poultry, or game; the larger as rissoles or croquettes, the largest as cannelons or mirotons.”

“Good gracious!” uttered my overwhelmed friend. “Before I would bother my brain with such puzzling nonsense, I would set my family down to cold meat three times a day three days in a week!”

I believed she meant what she said. But not the less is it a “good” and a “gracious” thing for the housewife to conjure out of such unconsidered and unsightly trifles as the mutilated cold fowl from which half the breast and both legs are missing, or the few chops “left over,” or “that bone” of lamb or veal, or three square inches of cold fish, a pretty plat for breakfast or luncheon, of golden-brown croquettes, imbedded in parsley, or in a ruby setting of pickled beets, that shall quicken John’s flagging appetite, and call from the little ones the never stale plaudit, “Mamma can always get up something nice.”

“Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost,” is a text from which the thoughtful house-mother may preach to herself, as well as to her servants. That no opportunity of making home fairer, and even one hour of the day a little brighter, be lost or overlooked. That no possibility of proving her constant, active love for the least of her flock be passed by. These daily cares and hourly assiduities are the rivets in the chain that binds her best beloved ones unto The Family. Lacking them, the relation, instituted by law and continued by custom, has no stancher securities than habit and convenience—a hay-rope that will shrivel at the first touch of Passion, be rent by one resolute wrench of Expediency.

“A serious view to take of croquettes?” do I hear you say. Then hearken to something positive and practical.

Unpalatable food is not wholesome. It may be medicinal. Nothing forced upon an unwilling appetite, and that does not gratify the palate, can impart that freshness of animal spirit and vigor which we call Life—spontaneous vitality. Indifferent fuel—green or sodden wood, or slaty coal—may keep a fire from going out. There is not begotten from these the leaping flame that gladdens, while it warms. And cold meat and bread, dried into sawdusty innutrition, should no more form the staple of John’s meals, even three times a week, than his grate be filled, on December nights, with coke-dust and mica.

Chicken Croquettes. Maltese cross

Minced chicken.

About one-quarter as much fine bread-crumbs as you have meat.

1 egg, beaten light, to each cupful of minced meat.

Gravy enough to moisten the crumbs and chicken. Or, if you have no gravy, a little drawn butter.

Pepper and salt, and chopped parsley to taste.

Yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, rubbed fine with the back of a silver spoon, added to the meat.

Mix up into a paste, with as little handling as may be. Nor must the paste be too wet to mould readily. Make, with floured hands, into rolls, or ovate balls, roll in flour until well coated, and fry, a few at a time, lest crowding should injure the shape, in nice dripping, or a mixture, half lard and half butter. As you take them out, lay in a hot cullender, that every drop of fat may be drained off. Serve in a heated dish, and garnish with cresses or parsley.

Turkey, duck, and veal croquettes can be made in the same manner. They are even nicer if dipped in egg and cracker-crumbs before frying.

Beef Croquettes. Maltese cross

Minced cold roast or boiled beef.

One-quarter as much potato.

Gravy enough to moisten meat and potato, in which an onion has been stewed and strained out. Season also with catsup.

Pepper and salt to taste, and a pinch of marjoram.

Beaten egg to bind the whole, and one or two more beaten in a separate bowl.

Powdered cracker-crumbs.

Mash the potatoes, while hot, very smooth, or, if cold mashed potato be used, be careful that no lumps remain in it. Mix in the meat, gravy, and one raw egg, season, and form into the desired shape. Dip each croquette in beaten egg, then roll in the cracker-crumbs, and fry quickly to a light brown. Drain carefully, and lay upon a hot dish.

Venison or Mutton Croquettes.

Some slices of cold roast venison, or roast or boiled mutton—the lean only, if mutton be used—minced.

One-fifth as much stale bread, crumbed fine.

Some good gravy or drawn butter, thickened with browned flour.

Beaten egg for a liaison.

A pinch of mace, a very little grated lemon-peel, and chopped parsley to taste.

Some currant jelly, in the proportion of a small teaspoonful to each cup of gravy.

Stir the jelly well into the gravy, season and wet up with this the meat and crumbs, add the beaten egg, make into rolls, and flour these, or dip in egg and cracker-crumbs before frying.

A Nice Breakfast Dish

May be made of these by piling them in the centre of a flat dish, within a wall, about two inches high, of mashed potato, moulded to fit the inside of the dish, and browned in the oven. You had best use the platter of a chafing-dish for this purpose, or one of stone china. You can, if you like, brush the “wall” over with beaten egg before setting in the oven. Have ready some good, brown gravy, with a little currant jelly stirred into it; also, a small glass of claret. Thicken with browned flour, boil up once, and pour over the croquettes.

Or,

This is still nicer, if you add to the gravy some mushrooms, previously fried in butter, and chopped up. If you use these, you may, if you like, omit the potato wall, garnishing the pile instead, with triangles of fried bread.

Fish Croquettes.

Some cold fish—boiled, baked or fried—from which all fat, bones and skin have been removed, chopped fine.

One-third as much mashed potato, rubbed to a cream with a little melted butter.

A little white sauce, made of butter “drawn” in milk and thickened with corn-starch, and a beaten egg.

Chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and anchovy sauce, or walnut catsup, for seasoning.

Mix all well together, make into balls, which may be rolled in flour, or in beaten egg, and then cracker-crumbs before they are fried.

Send around sliced lemon with these, which are not good unless eaten hot.

These are, as will be seen, a modification of the well-known and time-honored “fish-ball,” but, if properly made, will be found much better.

Croquettes of Lobster or Crab. Maltese cross

Meat of one fine lobster, or six crabs well boiled.

2 eggs.

2 table-spoonfuls of butter.

½ cup fine bread-crumbs.

1 teaspoonful anchovy sauce.

Yolks of two eggs, boiled hard and rubbed to a powder, then beaten into the butter.

1 good teaspoonful lemon-juice.

Season well with salt and cayenne pepper; also, a pinch of mace and lemon-peel.

Yolks of two raw eggs, beaten very light.

Mince the meat, work in the butter—melted, but not hot; then the seasoning, the raw eggs, and lastly, the bread-crumbs. Make into oblong balls, and fry quickly in sweet lard, dripping, or half lard, half butter. Drain them of every drop of fat by rolling each, for an instant, very lightly upon a hot, clean cloth. Be sure your dish is well heated.

These are very delicious, and should be accompanied by milk or cream crackers, with slices of lemon passed to such guests as would like the additional relish.

Croquettes of Game. Maltese cross

Remains of cold grouse, quail, etc.

Giblets of the same, or of poultry, boiled and cold.

Gravy.

One-fourth the quantity of fine bread-crumbs that you have of meat.

Season with pepper and salt.

Raw egg, beaten, for binding the mixture together, also some in a separate vessel for coating the croquettes.

Fine cracker-crumbs.

Mince the meat, and pound the giblets in a Wedgewood mortar, when you have removed skin and cartilage from the gizzards. Moisten with gravy as you pound, until all are smooth. Mix into this the raw egg and seasoning, then the meat, lastly the bread-crumbs. Mould, dip in egg, then in cracker-powder and fry in boiling fat. The dripping from roast poultry may be used for this purpose. Not that from beef or mutton, as it spoils the flavor of the game.

It is easy to reserve giblets for this dish by a little foresight, and in no other shape are they more useful.

Veal and Ham Croquettes.

Cold roast or stewed veal, the remnants of cutlets or chops, freed from bone, skin and gristle, and minced fine.

Half the quantity of cold boiled ham. A little fat on a slice, now and then, is an improvement.

Gravy or drawn butter thickened with browned flour to moisten the meat.

One-fourth as much fine bread-crumbs as you have meat.

Yolks of one or two eggs, boiled hard and powdered, then beaten into the gravy.

Season with chopped parsley and pepper. The ham usually supplies sufficient salt.

Beaten egg and powdered cracker.

Raw egg for the liaison.

Mix veal and ham well together; wet with the gravy and season before putting in the raw egg. Stir up well, but do not beat, and add the crumbs.

Boll in egg and cracker, and fry.

Mem. The fat in which croquettes are fried must be boiling, yet must not burn.

Try a bit of the mixture before risking the well-being of your whole dish.

Hominy Croquettes. Maltese cross

2 large cups of fine-grained hominy, boiled and cold.

2 eggs, well beaten.

2 table-spoonfuls melted butter.

Salt to taste.

Work the butter well into the hominy until the latter is smooth and soft, then the eggs, beating hard for two or three minutes with a wooden spoon, season, and make into balls or rolls with floured hands. Roll each in flour, and fry to a yellow-brown in sweet lard.

Potato Croquettes. Maltese cross

2 cups mashed potato, cold and free from lumps.

2 eggs beaten to a froth.

1 table-spoonful melted butter.

Salt and pepper to taste.

1 egg beaten in a separate vessel.

1 teacupful cracker-crumbs.

Mix as you do hominy croquettes, roll in egg and cracker, and fry in boiling lard. Take up as soon as they are done, and drain perfectly dry.

This is an excellent preparation of potato, and particularly acceptable at breakfast or luncheon.

Rice Croquettes. Maltese cross

2 cups cold boiled rice.

2 table-spoonfuls melted butter.

3 eggs, beaten light.

A little flour.

1 raw egg and half a cup of powdered cracker.

2 table-spoonfuls white sugar.

A large pinch of finely grated lemon-peel, and salt to taste.

Beat eggs and sugar together until light, and work the butter well into the rice. Next, stir up with this the beaten eggs. Season and make into croquettes of whatever shape you may fancy. They are pretty, moulded into the form of pears, with a clove blossom, end outward, at the large end, and the stalk of another projecting from the small, to represent the pear-stem. You may find it advisable to use a little flour in working the rice paste, but be careful not to get it too stiff, in which event the croquette, of whatever composed, ceases to be a delicacy. Roll in flour, then in the beaten egg, lastly in the powdered cracker, and fry, a few at a time, in sweet lard or butter.

Rice croquettes are sometimes eaten, with powdered sugar sprinkled thickly over them, as a dessert, or sweet sauce is served with them. They are delicious when properly mixed and cooked.

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Cannelon of Veal. Maltese cross

2 pounds of cold roast or stewed veal. The remains of a stewed and stuffed fillet are good for this purpose, especially if underdone.

1 pound cold boiled ham.

1 large cupful gravy. If you have none left over, make it of the refuse bits of the cold meat, such as fat, skin, etc.

1 small teaspoonful finely minced lemon-peel, the same of mace, and a table-spoonful chopped parsley.

Salt and pepper.

1 cupful bread-crumbs, dry and fine.

Yolks of 3 eggs beaten light, reserving the whites for glazing the cannelon when done.

Chop the meat very well, season it and stir in the beaten yolks; wet with half the gravy, and mix in the bread-crumbs. It should be just soft enough to handle without running into a shapeless mass. Flour your hands and make it into a roll about three times as long as it is broad. Flour the outside well and lay it in a greased baking-pan. Cover and set in the oven until it is smoking hot, when remove the cover and brown quickly. Draw to the oven-door and brush over with white of egg, shut the door for one minute to set this, and transfer the cannelon, by the help of a cake-turner or a wooden paddle, to a hot dish. Lay three-cornered pieces of fried bread close about it, and pour a rich gravy over all.

You can make a really elegant dish of this by adding to the gravy a half-pint of sliced mushrooms, and stewing them in it until they are tender and savory, then pouring them over the rouleau of meat.

A savory and inexpensive dish, and a good entrÉe at a family dinner. Of course you can vary the size to suit the remnants of meat.

Cannelon of Beef

Is made precisely like one of veal, except that mashed potato is substituted for bread-crumbs, and an onion is stewed in the gravy before the latter is strained over the baked roll of meat.

Green pickles or olives are a palatable accompaniment to it.

A Pretty Breakfast Dish

May be made of croquettes of fish, lobster, fowl or meat in the shape of hen’s eggs, heaped upon a dish and surrounded by very thin strips of fried potato, arranged to look as much as possible like straw. If sauce is poured over the croquettes, be careful not to let it deluge the potato that forms the nest.

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