Dilled Chicken Croquettes with Mushrooms and Creamed Leeks

If the word croquette is new to you, think in terms of something smaller than a crab cake but bigger than a meat ball. A croquette usually has a crumb coating.

I first had a puddle of creamed leeks at a wonderful restaurant in Cleveland. I've been thinking about them ever since. I decided to try the simplest of preparations: just simmering in skim milk. Bill said, "Try to remember this recipe!" So here we go.

Ingredients for two servings:

• 1 boneless chicken breast half, chopped
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill or 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 or 2 eggs
• 1 cup bread crumbs, divided, 1/3 cup for the mixture, the rest to roll the croquettes in.
  
• 1/2 cup or more sliced fresh mushrooms
• 3 Tbl. olive oil
  
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, julienned
• 1/2 cup milk (any fat content)
  
• a few grinds of nutmeg
• white pepper
• salt

Procedure:

1. With a cleaver or large knife, chop the chicken breast until it is not-quite minced. Although ground chicken may be used in this recipe, the chopped chicken provides a more interesting consistency.
2. Stir together the chicken, eggs, dill, 1/3 cup bread crumbs. Add salt & white pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes for the bread crumbs to swell.
   
3. Slice the mushrooms and sauté in 1 Tbl. olive oil
4. While the mushrooms are cooking, form croquettes of the chicken mixture and coat in the remaining bread crumbs.
5. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
6. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan and heat.
7. Brown the croquettes on all sides but do not worry whether they are cooked through at this point.
8. Remove the croquettes from the pan and place on a microwave safe plate.
9. Pour any remaining olive oil from the pan but do not wipe the pan.
   
10. Put the julienned leeks in the pan and and cover to allow them to steam a bit.
11. Add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg to the leeks and simmer until the leeks are tender and the milk is somewhat reduced.
    
12. Heat the croquettes for 90 seconds in the microwave to make sure they are thoroughly cooked through.
    
13. To reheat the mushrooms, stir them into the leeks.
14. Arrange the croquets on the plates and spoon over the leek and mushroom mixture making sure not to waste any of the thickened milk.

If you want to make this look more impressive, reheat the mushrooms for a few seconds in the microwave. After spooning the creamed leeks on the croquettes, spinkle the mushrooms on top.