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Croquettes

I am a great believer that any tapas bar in Spain can be judged by the standard of the croquettes they serve. There’s no mashed potatoes to be found here. Instead the classic Spanish “Croquetas” are crisp tubes of creamy béchamel, flecked with Jamon Iberico, Chicken or Salt cod, and covered in a crunchy coating. This is my attempt to recreate one of my favorite bites from my favorite country in the world.

Simon Majumdar's Croquettes recipe

Croquettes Recipe

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(Serves 6-8)

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Ingredients

  • 2 Cups of Whole Milk

  • 1 Stick of Butter

  • 3 Tablespoons Flour

  • ½ Cup Diced Cooked Meat (Ham, cooked bacon or chicken work well)

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • 1 Pinch Ground Nutmeg

  • 2 Eggs

  • ½ Cup Bread Crumbs

  • 1 Cup All Purpose Flour

  • Vegetable oil for deep frying

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Instructions

  1. Melt the butter at a gentle heat in a saucepan.

  2. Add 1/2 cup of All Purpose flour, combine well and whisk for two minutes until the flour loses its raw smell.

  3. Add the milk in batches and cook gently while continuing to whisk, until the sauce begins to thicken.

  4. Add the cooked meat.

  5. Season with salt, pepper and a teaspoon of nutmeg.

  6. Pour the sauce into a baking dish.

  7. Place a layer of plastic wrap on the surface of the sauce so that it does not form a skin while cooling.

  8. Place in the fridge and leave to cool for at least two hours to set.

  9. Once you are ready to make your croquettes, lay out three dishes.

  10. Fill one with the two eggs (beaten), one with 1/2 cup of All Purpose Flour and one with bread crumbs.

  11. Take the sauce from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap.

  12. Using a tablespoon, form a ball of the set sauce.

  13. Coat the ball in flour, then in egg and then in breadcrumbs (you can do the egg and breading stage twice if you want your croquettes to be extra crunchy).

  14. Once breaded, gently form the croquettes into the shape you want (ball, tube or oval) and lay on a baking tray lined with a piece of parchment.

  15. Place in the fridge once more to set. You can also freeze these at this point.

  16. When ready to cook, heat up enough oil to cover the croquettes in a deep pan.

  17. Heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and then cook the croquettes for 3 minutes until the coating is golden brown.

  18. If frozen, then place the croquettes into an oven set at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a further 5 minutes. This will ensure the inside is warmed through without burning the crumb coating.

  19. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

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