Baked Beef Idaho® Potato Croquette

Ingredients:

Potato

• 2 pounds Idaho® russet potatoes (2 large potatoes)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt and extra for boiling
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• (Optional) Dried basil flakes for garnish

Breadcrumb

• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Oil spray

Batter

• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard (or any other mustard of your choice)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Beef

• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable oil)
• 1/2 white onion, minced
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
2. Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch thick slices. Transfer to a large pot. Add water until it covers the potatoes by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt and stir well. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes until a fork pierces them easily. This will take 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread panko in a thin layer on the sheet and spray panko with oil.
4. Bake panko for 3 to 5 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and transfer to a bowl.
5. Combine egg, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, and flour in a bowl. Stir to form a smooth batter.
6. When the potatoes are ready, drain all the water and return the potatoes to the pot. Add butter, salt, and black pepper. Mash the potatoes into desired texture.
7. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet until warm. Add onion. Cook and stir until it turns a pale golden color. Add ground beef. Stir and chop to separate the beef as you cook until the surface turns golden brown. Add salt and black pepper. Continue stirring until the beef is cooked through.
8. Add the cooked ground beef, along with any remaining pan juice, into the mashed potatoes. Mix well with a spatula.
9. When the potato mixture has cooled enough to handle, shape it into 1-inch thick oval patties using 2 tablespoons of mixture per piece.
10. Work on the croquettes one at a time. Use your left hand to coat each patty with batter and place it into the bread crumb bowl. Use your right hand to turn it over and pat it gently to coat the patty with bread crumbs. Transfer patty onto baking tray, keeping them about a finger’s width apart.
11. Bake for 10 minutes.
12. Garnish with dried basil flakes, if using. Serve warm with ketchup or mayonnaise.
13. If planning to serve later, you can store the croquettes in the freezer for up to a month and reheat them in oven without thawing.