(Makes 5 to 7 croquettes)
3 cups overcooked rice (cooked to a softer texture instead of al dente)
1 cup cooked fresh white or yellow corn kernels
1 cup chopped cooked shrimp
1 Tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced hot pepper, seeds removed (or keep them for more heat)
1/4 cup finely minced red bell pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper or your favorite seafood spice mix
All-purpose flour
Vegetable oil
Put the rice, corn, shrimp, parsley, garlic, hot pepper, bell pepper, and scallion in a bowl and combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The mixture should hold together when a spoonful is rolled into a ball.
Fill a pie plate with flour. Fill a skillet with two inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium-high heat to 350°F.
Test the mixture by rolling some of it into a two-inch ball. Dust it in the flour and put it in the oil. If the croquette doesn’t hold together, add two or three tablespoons of flour to the mixture to tighten.
Roll the rest of the mixture into two-inch balls and dust them with flour. Working in batches to prevent crowding the skillet, cook the croquettes in the oil for five minutes, or until the outside is golden brown and the middle is hot. Drain briefly on paper towels before serving.
