Korokke - Beef and Fauxtato Croquettes Rule School!

Japanese Korokke - Delicious Low Carb Beef and
Fauxtato Oven-Fried Croquettes

It’s a funny thing how life goes. You’re walkin’ along, minding your own beeswax and things fall into your lap in heavenly accord. That’s what happened last week during a FB session. I saw the heavenly of heavenlies. Japanese Korokke.

If you’re like me, you just said, “Runnnhhhh?”

And your next thought was, “What tha hayull (Texan for h-e-double hockie sticks) are Korokke? They sound like some new-fangled Russian food.”

But you and I would both be wrong.

R-O-N-G, wrong.

Korokke is a Japanese fusion food that is part of the yoshoku movement. This is a style of food that has Western origins but is adapted to suit Japanese tastes. High carb korokke are nothing more, and nothing less, than beef and potato croquettes, deep-fried in Japanese panko breadcrumbs. And the second I laid eyes on them at Tess’s Japanese Kitchen--a site I adore, btw! I knew Japanese Korokke would be mine. Properly low carb-ed of course.

Avocado Feta Salad is also great made with blue cheese.

The richness of the oven-fried croquettes is balanced by the spicy brown gravy and the crisp, refreshing Avocado Feta Side Salad. Use our House Vinaigrette for a garlic, mustardy dressing that keeps you coming back for more. The salad is so versatile and works with any protein.

The sauce, Tonkatsu Sauce, a Japanese "barbecue sauce," is also a yoshoku food. The recipe Tess suggests is made with shoyu, Japanese sweet soy sauce (a no-no for low carb), so I played fast-and-loose with the recipe and made alterations. Mushroom soy is available online or at your Asian markets. It’s a very thick, dark soy, made from fermented mushrooms and it’s strong and delightfully, delicious. It keeps forever in the fridge, too!

Quick Brown Gravy is low carb and fabulous with
Korokke!

The first day I served Korokke, we made a quick brown gravy. The second time we made the Tonkatsu sauce. The Brown Gravy can be found on our sister-site Fast Days Healing Days, because it's super-low calorie and perfect for our alternate day fasting diets. My partner, Brian Hall developed it. Oh and I almost forgot to tell you…Korokke are best when made from leftovers! It’s an awesome mash-up of Lucky Leftovers! Let me know which sauce you preferred when you make these. The Breadcrumb Mix from the Oven Chicken Fried Steak works great for the korokke!

(Psssst, btw, the Korokke don’t taste Japanese. But the Tonkatsu Sauce does!)

Korokke (Beef and Fauxtato Croquettes)

Japanese Korokki with Avocado Feta Cheese Side Salad
and Brown Gravy

Serving Size: 3-4 Croquettes Per Serving    Yield: 18 Croquettes (5-6 Servings)
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 30 Minutes
Start to Finish 50 Minutes

Korokke by any other name are beef and fauxtato (smashed cauliflower) croquettes, usually made from leftovers the day after Sunday--Roast Day.


Croquettes
2 servings Roast Beef With Ginger and Rosemary, cubed (about 6-7 ounces)
2 1/2 servings Roasted Smashed Fauxtatoes, leftover (about 2 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup green onion, chopped
6 ounces broccoli slaw
12 ounces cabbage, coleslaw mix, unprepared
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

Breading
1/3 cup egg whites, beaten until frothy
1 cup Breading Mix (for Oven Frying)

Dipping Sauce (Optional)
Brown Gravy ( Fast Days Healing Days)
Tonkatsu Sauce (recipe follows)

In a food processor, pulse roast beef until it becomes finely ground. Add smashed cauliflower and pulse until beef and smashed cauliflower are thoroughly combined. Pour into a large mixing bowl.

Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add green onions, broccoli slaw, cabbage slaw mix, granulated garlic, kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté 3-4 minutes or until done to your preference. Pour contents into the bowl with the beef and Smashed Fauxtatoes. Stir well. Let mixture cool. Add shredded cheese. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to firm the mixture. It makes them easier to roll into egg shapes.

Roll chilled mix into egg shaped croquettes. Dip in egg whites then cover in bread crumbs. Spray both sides with olive oil or coconut oil cooking spray. Place on a nonstick aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 450° oven until golden and crispy on both sides (about 12-15 minutes per side). Enjoy.

Per Serving: 127 Calories; 7g Fat (51.7% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 3g Net Carbohydrate

Serving Ideas: Serve with brown gravy or Tonkatsu Sauce. Tonkatsu Sauce is a Western food, transformed to suit the Japanese palate. This sauce is served with many fusion dishes like fried pork and chicken cutlets, korokke, friend shrimp and fried oysters. It was inspired by Tess's Japanese Kitchen. All you need is a lovely side salad of your choice like the one on Fast Days Healing Days: Avocaco Blue Cheese (or Feta) Side Salad.

NOTES: Ok, these would probably be fantastic if you deep fat fry the croquettes, but oven frying is the way Fluffy Chix roll. Although they didn't get super-ultra-crispy, they DID get crispy and were creamy, delicious in the center. We make these from leftover roast and leftover smashed cauliflower, making the dough the night before and letting it chill out in the fridge until dinner the next day. They are so easy to roll and bread when well-chilled.

Tonkatsu Sauce

Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons                      Yield: 16 Tablespoons
Preparation Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 Minutes
Start to Finish: 15 Minutes


Tonkatsu Sauce is Japanese fusion gone wild! It's salty. It's spicy. It's sweet. It's umami!!


1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup sugar equivalent
1/8 cup mushroom soy sauce
1/8 cup tamari soy sauce—or coconut aminos
1/4 cup reduced calorie ketchup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice


Combine the first 5 ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, then turn heat to medium low and reduce to a simmer. Gently simmer sauce until it reduces about 20% and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in mustard and allspice. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Per Serving: 12 Calories; trace Fat (3.6% calories from fat); trace Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 2g Net Carbohydrate

Serving Ideas: Serve with Korokke, Oven Fried Chicken Fingers and Oven Fried Shrimp.

NOTES: Tonkatsu Sauce is an example of yoshoku food which translated means, “Western food transformed for the Japanese palate.” This sauce is used with Japanese fusion dishes and is commonly served with fried meats and seafood.

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