Croquettes - the best way to give up on summer

I have given up on summer - I am tired of the constant disappointment that expecting good weather brings, so have decided instead to just enjoy autumn foods and the occasional bit of sunshine that comes my way. This was actually a very good idea, as the day after I decided this I ended up cycling in the sunshine and paddling in the sea. Croquettes are a great autumn food, because you can fill them with all your favourite (and cheap) root vegetables. This recipe makes enough for 2 greedy people. 

300g root vegetables- parsnips, kumara, carrots, potatoes

half an onion

1 cup of frozen peas

1 cup milk

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 plain flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon thyme

1 cup polenta

1 cup breadcrumbs

salt and pepper

olive oil

Chop the root vegetables into small, similar sized pieces. Toss with a tablespoon of cold water and microwave on medium power for about 8 minutes until nice and soft. While this is happening, finely dice the onion and fry in a little olive oil over a high heat until the onion starts to soften and brown.

Mash the root vegetables with a fork, then tip into the frying pan with the onion, then add the paprika and thyme. Cook for another couple of minutes, stirring and mashing with a wooden spoon. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and put it to one side for now. 

The next step is a simple béchamel sauce that will bind your croquettes together. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the top, and stir briskly. Pour in the milk, give everything a whisk, and cook gently for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened, whisking occasionally.

Pour the sauce over onion and vegetables, and stir in the cup of frozen peas - this helps your mixture cool down quicker. Pop in the fridge for half an hour or so. 

That's the hard bit done now! Once the mixture has cooled down enough for you to mould with your hands, you're ready to do the shaping and baking. Heat up the grill in your oven. In a shallow bowl, mix together the polenta and breadcrumbs with a little salt and pepper. Use a tablespoon to scoop out the mixture, and drop into the breadcrumbs. This first layer of breadcrumbs makes it much easier to shape the croquettes without covering your hands/apron/entire kitchen in sticky mixture! To shape, roll the balls of mixture gently against a chopping board to create long tubes, then roll in the breadcrumbs again. 

Fry the croquettes in a frying pan with a little oil over a high heat until the breadcrumbs begin to brown, then pop onto a lined baking tray. Grill for about 10 minutes, turning every so often so the outsides become crisp. The centre should be gooey, and stodgy, and everything you've ever dreamt of.