Shane Delia: Carrot and apricot croquettes with garlic and lemon ricotta
“When my one-year-old daughter Jayda comes into the restaurant for lunch every Thursday, this is the dish she craves. I love sitting in the restaurant watching her eat them. She starts off like her mother, so feminine and delicate, tasting one small mouthful at a time with a little whipped ricotta. Before you know it, she transforms into me, demolishing the whole bowl in a matter of minutes with debris spread all over her face and the restaurant floor.”
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Shane Delia: Carrot and apricot croquettes with garlic and lemon ricotta
Serves
4
Cooking Time
Prep time 30 mins, cook 45 mins (plus chilling)
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5
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carrots (660gm), coarsely chopped
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90 gm
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day-old white breadcrumbs
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4
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dried apricots, finely diced
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2
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spring onions, thinly sliced
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1½ tbsp
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pine nuts
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1
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small garlic clove, crushed
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½ tsp
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Aleppo pepper (see note)
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4 each
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flat-leaf parsley, mint and dill sprigs, coarsely chopped
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1
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small egg
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For dusting:
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plain flour
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200 ml
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olive oil, for shallow-frying
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| Garlic and lemon ricotta |
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250 gm
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ricotta
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Finely
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grated rind of 1 lemon
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1
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garlic clove, crushed
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200 gm
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natural yoghurt
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1
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Steam carrot in a steamer over a saucepan of boiling water until tender (20-25 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, mash to a smooth purée, add remaining ingredients (except flour and oil), season to taste and mix to form a soft dough, adding more breadcrumbs if dough is too sticky. Roll tablespoons of mixture into cigar shapes, lightly dusting with flour to prevent dough from sticking, then place on a tray lined with baking paper and refrigerate until firm (1-2 hours).
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2
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Heat olive oil to 1cm-deep in a deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook croquettes, in batches, until golden and cooked through (6-8 minutes), then drain on absorbent paper.
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3
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Meanwhile, for garlic and lemon ricotta, combine ingredients in a bowl, season to taste and serve with warm croquettes.
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Note Aleppo pepper is hot dried Turkish chilli, available from Turkish grocers. If unavailable, substitute roasted chilli flakes, available from Asian grocers.
This recipe is from the April 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
Drink Suggestion Aromatic, heady Eden Valley viognier.
RECIPE Shane Delia, Maha, Melbourne
PHOTOGRAPHY William Meppem
STYLING Geraldine Munoz
DRINK SUGGESTION Max Allen