| 1 | Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. |
| 2 | Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until soft. |
| 3 | Add the flour, stirring to form a paste. |
| 4 | Add the milk and nutmeg and cook another minute or so until mixture thickens. |
| 5 | Meanwhile, place bread crumbs on a plate. |
| 6 | Scrape the mixture into a mixing bowl and add the fish, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. |
| 7 | Using 2 forks, mash the fish into the mixture. |
| 8 | Drop tablespoon dollops of the mixture into the bread crumbs. |
| 9 | Roll each dollop in bread crumbs, then between the palms of your hands to form balls. |
| 10 | Set croquettes aside on a plate while making the rest. |
| 11 | Fill a medium-sized cast iron or other heavy skillet with a 1 ?inch depth of oil and place over medium heat on the stove. |
| 12 | Heat the oil to frying temperature--350°F. |
| 13 | When the oil is hot enough for frying, a droplet of water will dance across the surface of the hot oil and evaporate. |
| 14 | Drop croquettes carefully into the hot oil. |
| 15 | Fry croquettes, in batches if necessary, without crowding the skillet, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. |
| 16 | Using a slotted spoon, remove croquettes from the oil as they are done and drain on paper towels. |
| 17 | Place a linen napkin on a platter and arrange the croquettes in a pile. |
| 18 | Serve immediately and accompany with tomato mayonnaise. |
| 19 | To freeze the mixture: place croquettes on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and place in the freezer. |
| 20 | When the croquettes are frozen, transfer them to airtight plastic bags or a lidded freezer container. |
| 21 | Cook frozen uncooked croquettes directly from the freezer, increasing cooking time to 5 minutes. |
| 22 | To freeze cooked croquettes: cool cooked croquettes to room temperature, uncovered. |
| 23 | Place in an airtight plastic freezer bag or lidded container. |
| 24 | Label and place in freezer for up to 3 months. |
| 25 | To cook frozen cooked croquettes, place on a cookie sheet and place in preheated 375f oven for 20 minutes. |
