Angel Family's Leek Croquettes - 1 pt; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

Angel Family's Leek Croquettes - 1 pt; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber

Recipe By :Sephardic Holiday Cooking
Serving Size : 30 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : LowCal (Less than 300 cals) LowerCarbs, LowFat (Less than 15%)
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
12 large leeks -- very largest you can find
3 matzo crackers
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For dredging: -- matzo meal
For frying: -- vegetable oil
2 lemons -- cut in quarters

Buy the largest, thickest leeks you can find for this; if you buy them in bunches and find one or two in a bunch are thin, buy extras. Trim off the roots and all of the tough outer green leaves. You will use the white and only the tenderest yellow green center stalk leaves - about 6 to 7 inches in all. Split each leek down the middle, then cut in small pieces. Soak in several changes of cold water until leeks are completely free of sand. About four changes should do. Place the leeks in a saucepan with unsalted water to cover. Cook for about 45 minutes, or until leeks are completely soft and mashable. Drain well. When cool enough to handle, pick up small bunches of the cooked leeks and squeeze out as much water as possible. This will reduce the leeks to a near pulp. Chop briefly or cut coarsely with a knife. Soak the matzos in warm water for about 10 minutes, or until completely soft. Squeeze out as much water as possible. The matzos will also be close to a pulp. In a bowl, beat eggs, salt and pepper into matzos, then beat in leek pulp. You should have a mixture that will be sticky and soft, but that can be molded into small patties about 2-inches in diameter and close to 1/2-inch thick. If mixture is too liquid to mold, add matzo meal by teaspoonfuls until mixture can be shaped. Shape into patties and dredge very lightly on all sides in matzoh meal. Fry slowly in hot oil until the first side is golden brown. Turn and fry second side. Total frying time should be about 10 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, then place in a baking dish. Cover loosely and store in the refrigerator overnight. Before serving, preheat the oven to 250F. Sprinkle the croquettes liberally with lemon juice and bake for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until thoroughly warm. Serve at once.

Makes about 30 croquettes.
If you plan to serve the croquettes with a dairy meal, fry them in unsalted butter, with or without a little vegetable oil to retard burning. The butter improves the flavor.

ChupaNote: to cut down the fat, bake these in a preheated 375F oven. Spray the baking sheet with butter flavored olive oil spray, then spray the tops of the croquettes as well. When edges are golden brown, turn over and cook a few minutes more. Be careful not to burn. These will be drier than if fried.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 41 Calories; 1g Fat (13.5% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 21mg Cholesterol; 85mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch) ; 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat.