New Life for Old Rice

You can stir-fry leftover rice or make chicken-rice soup. Or you can make these rice croquettes.

If your leftover rice is a little dry or a bit pasty, don’t worry. This is a forgiving recipe. If you have a little more or less rice than the recipe calls for, just make do with what you have. The recipe works with brown rice, Basmati rice and seasoned or flavored rice.

If you want to make fresh rice to try the recipe, be sure it has cooled before you start making the croquettes.

Serve them with sliced tomatoes drizzled with a dressing of 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, one chopped green onion and salt and pepper to taste. This is enough dressing for two large tomatoes.

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Ham and Cheese Croquettes

Active Work Time: 20 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1 1/2 cups leftover rice, packed

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

1 egg

1/4 pound thinly sliced ham cut into 1/4-inch strips (about 1 cup)

2 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, chopped into small pieces (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 to 2 pinches pepper or to taste

1/4 cup oil

* Mix together rice, mayonnaise, mustard, bread crumbs and egg until all ingredients are well incorporated and rice starts to break up. You may need to mash mixture against side of bowl with back of spoon for rice to achieve moldable consistency.

* Add ham strips and salt and pepper and mix just to incorporate.

* Heat oil in oven-proof skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. Form rice mixture into 4 patties. Press down gently with back of spoon or spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, 5 to 7 minutes.

* Turn patties with spatula and put 1/4 cup (1/2 ounce) of cheese on top of each. Keep cheese at least 1/4 inch from edge of patty so it won’t melt over edge and cause patty to stick.

* When second side turns golden, about 5 minutes, place skillet under hot broiler until cheese bubbles and begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

* Remove croquettes to paper towels for 1 minute to absorb excess oil. Serve while hot.

4 croquettes. Each croquette: 420 calories; 780 mg sodium; 85 mg cholesterol; 29 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams protein; 0.01 gram fiber.