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Lemon Rice Croquettes -The French Way to Use Leftovers!

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Minute Rice Ready to Serve White Rice, Rice, Recipe, Lemon Rice Croquettes

We all have those days when we feel like the rabbit from Alice In Wonderland. “I’m late! I’m late for a very important date!” The lazy hazy days of summer are over after next week and it’s time to get organized and get back to the busy school and work grind. There never seems to be enough time to pack lunches, get the kids everywhere they have to go for after school activities plus cook, do laundry, vacuum. So I admit I look for shortcuts and convenience products that save me time. Minute® Ready To Serve Rice is just one of those products that I count on to help me get a nutritious meal on the table in record time or to pack a quick lunch.

I LOVE rice! I can sit down and eat a bowl of it with just butter, salt, and pepper and its even better if I add in some tasty leftovers. Take a day like yesterday. It was a busy day and I was going to have to eat on the run. I had to be at church to get things ready for the girls club.  So on the way out the door I grabbed a Minute® Ready to Serve White Rice individual serving size and some leftover chicken. The rice heated up in 60 seconds then I stirred in the chicken and a packet of sweet and sour sauce that I had left from Chinese takeout. It was quick, yummy and easy to clean up after.  Along with the convenience it also gives me a healthy option, Minute® Ready to Serve Rice provides easy portion control since it’s conveniently packaged in two individual single-serve cups.  Being a diabetic controlled by diet, this helps me keep track of diet requirements. Easy portion control works for me!  I also love the variety that gives me all sorts of possibilities with many varieties including: all new varieties such as Brown & Quinoa and Basmati Rice, as well as Whole Grain options of Brown Rice, Brown & Wild Rice and Multi-Grain Medley. Also, there’s Jasmine Rice, White Rice and flavorful mixes. Click here for a handy list of all varieties.

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Not only was it a pretty busy day but a hot one at that. It was just going to be Bill and I for supper so I needed a quick and easy plan for that meal too and try not to heat the kitchen up in the process. When Bill gets home he wants to eat so getting supper on the table quickly was my goal. Bill also wants a “real” meal not fast food so I had 30 minutes to get it all done and please his taste too. My meal plan was grilled salmon, lemon rice croquettes with a lemon caper sauce that can be used on the fish and the lemon rice croquettes, and canned French cut green beans for a veggie. Salmon cooks quickly on the grill and he loves salmon (particularly because this salmon he caught on a fishing trip last month) and the lemon rice croquettes will compliment it beautifully. He’d think I had been cooking all day.

Before I left for church, I had taken some salmon out of the freezer and had started the croquette preparation. The mixture has to chill in the fridge before you shape it to fry.   The lemon rice croquettes are great with fish but usually they will take me more than a half hour to make and I had to get to church. I have to cook the rice and then let it cool. Even with boxed Minute® Rice, the cooling takes more time than I had. Aha! I sped up the process by using Minute® Ready to Serve White Rice, which is all cooked and at room temperature. There is a basic formula to croquettes which is to use 3/4 cup of thick sauce for every 2 cups of ground or minced cooked solid food. The solid foods should be well drained of moisture. To shape the croquettes, you spread the mixture into a greased flat pan, and then chill it. When chilled it can be removed from the pan by cutting into equal squares, and then shaped in your hand into whatever form you wish. Croquettes can be shaped into balls, as I have done here, or rolls, or eve cones.  So after I got that done I was off to church.

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First thing when I got home, I turned on the fryer so the oil could heat. Then I set up my “coating station”. Coating is a three step process. I set up three dishes – one with flour, one with beaten egg, and one with seasoned breadcrumbs.  I roll the croquette in the flour, then dip in egg, and then roll in the breadcrumbs.  The next step is to deep fry them in oil heated to 380 degrees from 2-5 minutes depending on the size. When I take them out of the fryer I place them on paper towels to drain while I get other parts of the meal ready. I was on time with everything ready to go when Bill came through the door. I am sharing my recipe for lemon rice croquettes and the lemon caper sauce so enjoy.

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rice, Minute Rice, recipe, lemon rice croquettes

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Lemon Rice Croquettes

lemon rice croquette recipe
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★★★★★

4.8 from 8 reviews

An American version of a French favorite, this lemon rice croquette dish makes a great side for fish. And making it with Minute Ready to Serve White Rice saves time for an easy quick dish.

  • Author: The Wilderness Wife
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 25 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Franco American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (2 individual size containers) Minute Ready to Serve White Rice
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 tbs. sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tbs.melted butter
  • 1/3 c. flour
  • 1 egg
  • Fine Dry Breadcrumbs
  • Fat for deep frying
  • Lemon caper sauce (see recipe below)

Instructions

  1. Mix rice, egg, milk,sugar, lemon zest, and butter together. Mix thoroughly to evenly distribute the ingredients.
  2. Refrigerate, spread evenly in a greased pan until chilled.
  3. Evenly divide and shape into 8 croquettes.
  4. Roll them in flour, dip in egg, and them roll in breadcrumbs.
  5. Deep fry in 380 degree oil until golden, about 2- 5 mins.
  6. Serve hot with Lemon Caper Sauce.

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Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

This recipe for Lemon Sauce makes a great sauce for fish also.

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Lemon Caper Sauce

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★★★★★

4.8 from 8 reviews

The perfect sauce for the lemon rice croquettes is great with fish also.

  • Author: The Wilderness Wife
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Category: Sauce
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tsp. capers, preferably salt-packed
  • 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 shallots, minced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 2/3 cup dry white wine
  • 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

  1. If using salt-packed capers, place them in a small bowl, add cold water to cover and soak for 20 minutes. Drain, rinse well and drain again, then pat dry on paper towels. If using vinegar-packed capers, rinse under cold running water, drain and pat dry.
  2. In a saute pan, melt butter with olive oil.
  3. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and lemon juice, increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the sauce thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, capers and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper.

Did you make this recipe?

Share a photo and tag us — we can't wait to see what you've made!

Minute Rice Ready to Serve White Rice, Rice, Recipe, Lemon Rice Croquettes

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Comments

  2. Quirky Homemaker says

    That does sound like a good side for a fish dish. Lemon and rice rolled together and deep-fried sounds awesome! I’m going to pin for some inspiration later. 🙂 Stopping by from Friendship Friday. Hope you have a great weekend!

    Reply

  3. Evija says

    This is very creative, great recipe thank you for sharing and joining our Oh My Heartsie Girl Wordless Wednesday Link Party.. Have a great day, co-host Evija @Fromevijawithlove

    Reply

  5. Brandi Clevinger says

    Mmm…that sounds very tasty! What a unique recipe. I’ve never seen a recipe like that, but it looks good enough to give it a try!

    Thanks for sharing your lemon rice croquettes recipe at #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup !

    Reply

  6. Cydnee says

    Great recipe! Love croquettes! Thank you very much for joining in the celebration of #purebloglove, we enjoy having you each week. I hope to see you on Thursday at 8PM, EST through Sunday night. ~Cydnee

    Reply

  8. Susan says

    These sound amazing. I’m always intrigued by how food can bring back so many childhood memories. Thanks for sharing at the This Is How We Roll Link Party on Organized 31,

    Reply

  9. Erica says

    These look great! I love lemon, it reminds me of spring! Thanks for linking up to Wordless Wednesday!
    Erica
    OnBlissStreet.blogspot.com

    Reply

  11. Cheryl @ Sew Can Do says

    This sounds so good – will have to make it. Thanks for linking it to the Craftastic Monday Link Party at Sew Can Do. I’d love to feature this next week, but can’t find Sew Can Do on your party page. I always pin and individually tweet my link features so I’d hate for you to miss out on being featured and getting some extra shout-outs for your great project.

    Reply

  14. Marie says

    Wow, these look and sound so delicious! I can’t wait to give these a try, I bet my family would love them. I am pinning this recipe right now! Thanks for sharing at Crafty Tuesday.

    Reply

  23. Theresa says

    Looks amazingly yummy! Thanks for linking up & sharing @ DearCreatives.com great to have you!Hope to see you again this week! Theresa

    Reply

  25. Krista Low says

    I have never made Croquettes before. They look amazing! I love rice in all sorts of dishes and I am excited to try these. I just pinned and I will be back 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this great recipe @ Great Idea Thursdays! Krista @ A Handful of Everything

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  30. Anyonita says

    Mmm these look delish! Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers!

    Reply

  34. Jess @HungryHarps says

    Oh my, I think I found my new addiction! These look great – pinning right now. Thank you for linking up at Tasty Tuesday – so glad to have found your blog. 🙂

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  41. [email protected] says

    I don’t think I’ve ever had a croquette but I can see the benefit in them for using up leftovers! Yours sound tasty especially with a fish dinner. I’m so glad you chose to share your recipe at the Rock ‘N Share! Have a great weekend! Blessings, [email protected]

    Reply

  44. Heather May says

    Okay…these look AMAZING. I am addicted to caper sauce!!!! I am certainly trying them but I may try pan frying or baking them (I had a small grease fire as a kid so I avoid deep frying!)But these may be worth it! I am hosting today at http://www.frugalfitfamily.com – please swing by and share if you get a chance!

    Reply

  51. Sharon says

    I’ve made salmon croquettes before but I’ve never made lemon rice croquettes. This looks delicious! It looks like a neat little recipe to try on the weekends.

    Reply

  53. Sharon & Denise says

    Yum!!! We will definitely be trying these beauties in the near future. They look incredible! Thanks for sharing them on our Brag About It Tuesday party. ~~ Sharon & Denise

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  55. Lynn H says

    I have eaten croquettes before, but I have never made them. I have always wanted to make them but for some reason I thought they were hard to make. I didn’t realize how many ways you could make them either. Your recipe looks wonderful and I am now going to make them, once and for all:) Thanks for sharing this great recipe~ Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines

    Reply

  56. Michelle says

    Hi. Stopping in from In & Out of the Kitchen. Lemon has been an addiction for me for several years, so I had to pop in and take a look at these.

    Reply

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