Tomato, Cheese and Rice Croquettes

Recipe No. 193 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Fritters and Croquettes. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Flour, sifted — ½ pound (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Salt — 5½ ounces (11 mess kit spoons)

Pepper — as needed

• Worcestershire sauce — 1½ ounces (2½ mess kit spoons)
• Mustard, dry — 1⅔ ounces (4¾ mess kit spoons)
• Shortening, melted — ½ pound (⅓ mess kit cup)

Tomatoes — 2 No. 3 cans

• Cheese, finely chopped — 2 pounds (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Rice, cooked — 12¾ quarts (12¾ No. 56 dippers)
• Eggs, beaten — 10 eggs (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Bread crumbs — as needed
• Fat (for frying) — as needed

Directions

Key ingredients

Mustard · Worcestershire Sauce

1. Combine flour, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and melted shortening; mix well.
2. Strain tomatoes through a coarse sieve; add to flour mixture. Heat to boiling point; reduce heat and simmer until smooth and thick, stirring constantly.
3. Add cheese and heat until cheese is melted. Remove from heat.
4. Add cooked rice and mix lightly. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
5. Shape mixture into croquettes; dip in beaten egg. Roll in crumbs.
6. Fry in deep hot fat (375° F.) 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Drain on absorbent paper.
8. Serve very hot.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — ⅔ oz Salt — ½ oz Pepper — to taste Worcestershire sauce — about ¾ tsp Mustard, dry — about ¾ tsp Shortening, melted — ⅔ oz Tomatoes — scale to taste (2 No. 3 cans) Cheese, finely chopped — 2½ oz Rice, cooked — 1 qt Eggs, beaten — ¾ eggs Bread crumbs — to taste Fat (for frying) — to taste

Serve with tomato sauce (recipe No. 508).

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 193, Fritters and Croquettes. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.