Goat Cheese Croquettes

When I went to Rhode Island last month, I had no idea of the reputation Providence had as being a destination for food. I was really expecting seafood, seafood, and more seafood, so I was quickly excited about what else PVD had to offer. As I did in Maine, Google and Yelp searches were my friend in picking dinner spots, and again, they did not disappoint.

Dinner on the last night in RI was at a little out-of-the-way place called CAV, where we had an amazing evening of drinks and dinner.  The whole meal from start to finish was excellent, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would definitely have to be the appetizer I had: goat cheese croquettes with a balsamic reduction. There are times when a meal had out must be recreated, and this was surely one of them. How hard could it be?

More like how easy could it be? There are some foods that definitely get better when fried, and while goat cheese didn't immediately come to mind for me, after having it, it makes sense. Crispy on the outside, soft and creamy on the inside, these croquettes are really too good. I could see them being great as an hor d'oeuvres for a dinner party, in a salad, or as a side to a steak. But of course, you can't go wrong having them as an appetizer, on their own or with a balsamic reduction. Feel free to go all Jackson Pollack on your plate; the more balsamic, the better.

I did make these Paleo/gluten-free, but if you want a non-paleo version fear not! I have a recipe for you right here. 

Goat Cheese Croquettes

printable recipe here

4 ounces goat cheese
2 tablespoons tapioca starch
4 tablespoons almond flour plus dried herb, salt and pepper, to season
1 egg, beaten
Oil for frying

Begin by cutting the goat cheese into desired size and rolling into balls.

Dredge the goat cheese very well in the tapioca flour and set aside.

Coat the dredged goat cheese in the egg and then roll in the almond flour until fully coated. (Any visible goat cheese should be recoated, or else it will leak out into the oil when fried.)

Over medium-high heat, allow the oil to get to frying temperature. Gently drop each croquette into the oil and fry until golden brown. Remove the croquettes from the oil and drain on paper towel. Cool slightly and serve immediately.

Brazilian Cheese Bread

There are two things I feel when shopping at my regular supermarket (ie not Trader Joe's or Whole Foods): bored and hungry. Mostly because my regular supermarket is for all of the necessities like paper towels and detergent and because I almost always go when I'm starving. 

While browsing the frozen foods aisle one bored and hungry trip, I came across pão de quejio or Brazilian cheese bread. Since I love cheese and I love bread, this was a no brainer for my once-I-unpack-the-groceries-snack... until I read the ingredients. Tapioca flour, salt, cheese. Yes, I am one of those avid ingredient readers, but given that I already had a bag of tapioca flour just waiting to be used up at home, I decided to just make them myself. 

If you've never had pão de quejio, they are similar to cheese puffs, and are slightly crispy on the outside, hollow, chewy and cheesy on the inside. The real flavor comes from the type of cheese used, and really, any hard cheese will do, whether it's parmesan, monterey, jack, cheddar, or a combination. They are definitely worth picking up some tapioca flour for (which you can get much cheaper at said boring supermarket) to make them, but I must warn you, they are highly addictive, especially when they are fresh out of the oven. I almost always exceed my limit of just three...

Brazilian Cheese Breads (Pão de Quejio)
adapted from thekitchn
printable recipe here

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups tapioca flour

2 eggs, whisked

1- 1 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (you can use any hard cheese like parmesan, monterey jack, or mix of cheeses depending on the flavor you desire. You can also use up to 2 cups of cheese if your like me and really love cheese...)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, whisk the the milk, olive oil, and salt, over medium heat. Once it comes to a gentle boil, immediately remove it from the heat. 

Add the tapioca flour to the saucepan, and mix until fully combined with the milk and oil, and the tapioca flour becomes gelatinous. 

Transfer the dough to a food processor with the dough blade, or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Let the dough cool down a bit and then beat an a medium speed until smooth.  (I use a food processor with no problems.)  

Once the dough has cooled and still on a medium speed, add the whisked eggs in two additions, until fully incorporated.

Finally, with the mixer on a medium speed, add the cheese until fully combined. The resulting dough will be smooth and very sticky. 

Scoop out equal portions on to the baking tray, about an inch apart from each other. If you wish, you can cover the pão with cling wrap and freeze them right on the baking tray. Once they are frozen, you can store them in a freezer bag and bake them at a later time. 

Place in the oven and turn the temperature down to 350 degrees. Let the puffs bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the puffs are dry and crisp on the outside and slightly golden in color. Cool slightly and eat. The pão are best right out of the oven as they became very chewy (yet still delicious over time.) They can however, be reheated in the oven for a few minutes.