Tuna & Potato Croquettes

📝 Ingredients

• 1 kg floury potatoes (about 7 medium)
• 2 tins tuna in spring water (210 g drained)
• 3 eggs (2 for the mixture, 1 for the coating)
• 80 g grated Emmental
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley (about ¼ bunch)
• 40 g plain flour + 80 g breadcrumbs (for the coating)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (2 for the croquettes, 1 for the dressing)
• 1 lettuce (about 300 g)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard + 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (for the dressing)
• 250 g plain yoghurt + ½ lemon + 1 garlic clove (for the sauce)
• Salt, black pepper

🍴 Utensils

• Large saucepan
• Potato masher
• Mixing bowl
• 3 shallow bowls
• Baking tray + baking paper
• Pastry brush

📖 Steps

1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into evenly sized pieces (about 4 cm) and place them in a large pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 15 to 20 min, until the tip of a knife slides in without resistance.
2. Drain the potatoes, then return them to the hot pan over a low heat for 1 min to evaporate any excess water: mash that is too wet makes croquettes that fall apart. Mash them with a potato masher and leave to cool slightly for 10 min.
3. Preheat the oven to 210 °C (fan 200 °C). Drain the tuna, pressing it well, and finely chop the parsley. Add the flaked tuna, 2 eggs, the Emmental and the parsley to the warm mash, season with pepper and a little salt, and mix until you have a smooth, even mixture.
4. Set out three shallow bowls: the flour in the first, the remaining egg beaten with a pinch of salt in the second, and the breadcrumbs in the third. With slightly damp hands, shape 16 oblong croquettes of about 80 g each.
5. Dip each croquette in the flour, tapping off the excess, then in the beaten egg, and finally roll it in the breadcrumbs, pressing lightly so they stick all over. Place them one by one on the baking tray lined with baking paper, without letting them touch.
6. Brush the croquettes all over with 2 tbsp olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 min, turning them carefully halfway through with a spatula, until golden and crisp.
7. While they bake, make the sauce: mix the yoghurt with the juice of the ½ lemon, the crushed garlic clove, salt and pepper, then chill. Wash and spin the lettuce dry, and in a salad bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper.
8. Toss the salad with the dressing at the last minute so it stays crisp. Let the croquettes rest for 2 min out of the oven so they firm up, then serve 4 croquettes per person with the salad and the yoghurt sauce on the side.