Lentil Croquettes

Preparation 1. Combine the lentils, water, and bay leaves in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook, half-covered, until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool, then drain off any excess liquid and set aside. 2. When ready to complete the croquette batter, combine the lentils with all the other batter ingredients in a food processor. Buzz until the garlic is pureed and a soft, somewhat goopy paste is formed. Let the batter rest, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days. 3. When ready to bake the croquettes, preheat the oven to 400°F. Set up a breading station: Combine the breadcrumbs and cornflake crumbs in a bowl. In a second bowl, make a seasoned flour by combining the flour, nutritional yeast, paprika, sage, salt and black pepper, thyme, and olive oil and tossing together well. In a third bowl, beat the egg, if using, with a tablespoon of water. Place the bowl of croquette mixture next to all this, along with a nonstick baking sheet or one that has been sprayed with cooking spray. 4. Using 2 large spoons, form a slightly flattened fat oval 3 to 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Drop it into the seasoned flour. Sprinkle the top of the oval of batter with more flour and lift it out of the flour with your fingers. Dip the batter oval into the egg, which will coat it, though it will resist in spots. Drop the egg-coated ball into the crumbs, and, with your fingers, roll it around. When coated with this second jacket of crumbs, place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the batter. 5. Spray the crumbed croquettes very lightly with olive oil (if you have some in a spray bottle) or cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turn very gently using a thin-bladed spatula, and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes. The crumb coating should be crisping up nicely; if it's not, run the croquettes under the broiler for a few moments. 6. Serve hot, as soon as possible, with a sauce such as Mushroom-Miso-Mustard Gravy . Leftovers can be served in buns, with all the fixings. Crescent Dragonwagon shares her tips with Epicurious:• Nutritional yeast is a savory molasses-fed yeast that's rich in B-complex vitamins and protein. It is widely available in bulk at natural food stores. Reprinted with permission from Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon ©2002 Workman Publishing Company, Inc.

Preparation 1. Combine the lentils, water, and bay leaves in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook, half-covered, until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Cool, then drain off any excess liquid and set aside. 2. When ready to complete the croquette batter, combine the lentils with all the other batter ingredients in a food processor. Buzz until the garlic is pureed and a soft, somewhat goopy paste is formed. Let the batter rest, covered and refrigerated, for at least 4 hours, or up to 2 days. 3. When ready to bake the croquettes, preheat the oven to 400°F. Set up a breading station: Combine the breadcrumbs and cornflake crumbs in a bowl. In a second bowl, make a seasoned flour by combining the flour, nutritional yeast, paprika, sage, salt and black pepper, thyme, and olive oil and tossing together well. In a third bowl, beat the egg, if using, with a tablespoon of water. Place the bowl of croquette mixture next to all this, along with a nonstick baking sheet or one that has been sprayed with cooking spray. 4. Using 2 large spoons, form a slightly flattened fat oval 3 to 4 inches long and 1/2 inch thick. Drop it into the seasoned flour. Sprinkle the top of the oval of batter with more flour and lift it out of the flour with your fingers. Dip the batter oval into the egg, which will coat it, though it will resist in spots. Drop the egg-coated ball into the crumbs, and, with your fingers, roll it around. When coated with this second jacket of crumbs, place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the batter. 5. Spray the crumbed croquettes very lightly with olive oil (if you have some in a spray bottle) or cooking spray. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, turn very gently using a thin-bladed spatula, and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes. The crumb coating should be crisping up nicely; if it's not, run the croquettes under the broiler for a few moments. 6. Serve hot, as soon as possible, with a sauce such as Mushroom-Miso-Mustard Gravy . Leftovers can be served in buns, with all the fixings. Crescent Dragonwagon shares her tips with Epicurious:• Nutritional yeast is a savory molasses-fed yeast that's rich in B-complex vitamins and protein. It is widely available in bulk at natural food stores. Reprinted with permission from Passionate Vegetarian by Crescent Dragonwagon ©2002 Workman Publishing Company, Inc.