Rutabaga, jagaimo, sumookusaamon no korokke / rutabaga and potato croquettes with smoked salmon

Adding rutabaga lightens starchy potato croquettes, which also get a boost from a small amount of smoked salmon in this recipe.

<Ingredients>

(For 7-8 croquettes)

2 rutabagas (450 g in photo)
1 potato (150 g in photo)
3 green onions (green sections)
Small piece (30-50 g) smoked salmon
1 tbsp potato starch
Salt & pepper to taste (not in photo)
1 egg
3-4 tbsp flour
7-8 tbsp panko bread crumbs
Oil (for deep-frying, not in photo)


<Directions>
1.

Cut or dice rutabagas and potato.

Finely chop green onions.

2.

In a pot (with a fitting cover), put 1cm water, rutabaga and potato, and bring to boil.

Cover, and cook on medium low heat until soft, about 15-25 minutes (depending on diced vegetable size).

If there is too much water in pot, drain. Raise heat somewhat and cook without cover until potato and rutabaga surface becomes dry and crumbly, getting rid of excess water.

3.

Transfer to a bowl, and mash.

Add potato starch, green onions, salt and pepper, and mix well.

Tear and add smoked salmon, and mix well.

Form patties.

4.

Heat oil. When tips of wooden chopsticks immersed in oil send off fine bubbles, oil is ready (about 360-370 F/180-190 C).

Place flour, lightly beaten egg and panko next to each other.

First coat croquettes with flour. Pat off extra flour, then dip in egg.

Finally, coat with panko, gently press down panko, and slide into oil.

When almost ready, raise heat somewhat, and lift individual croquettes, with one end still in oil, to draw oil back into the pot. Lightly shake and remove from oil.

Place on plate lined with paper towel.

5.

Serve as is or with tonkatsu, yakisoba or okonomiyaki sauce, if you like. Shungiku sauce or parsley sauce goes well, too.

<Notes>

• The more rutabaga you add, the lighter the outcome is.
• Cooking with only a little water prevents rutabaga from becoming soggy.
• Do not put too much smoked salmon. If you do, it will taste like deep-fried smoked salmon rather than croquettes. Either hard or lox type smoked salmon works well.
• Ham would be a great substitute for smoked salmon.
• Coating only thinly with flour is the key to getting a light crust. Make sure to pat off extra flour before dipping croquettes into egg.
• If you add parsley and other herbs (such as rosemary and thyme) instead of green onions and deep-fry in olive oil or oil mixed with olive oil, this will become a pleasantly light western-style croquette dish.
• Heat up leftovers in oven or frying-pan (without oil). Microwaving would make this dish damp probably because of moisture content of rutabaga.
  

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