Easy Entrees

Croquettes (croquetas)

Name: Croquettes (croquetas)
Prep time: 95 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 110 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped; 1 cup shredded jamon*; 2 eggs; Plain flour; 1 cup dried breadcrumbs; Spanish olive oil, to deep-fry; 1 onion slice; 2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley; 4-5 black peppercorns; 1 bay leaf; 300ml milk; 20g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter; 25g plain flour

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1h 35m

15m

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These Spanish delights taste fantastic and are surprisingly easy to prepare.

2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
1 cup shredded jamon*
2 eggs
Plain flour
1 cup dried breadcrumbs
Spanish olive oil, to deep-fry

Bechamel sauce

1 onion slice
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
4-5 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
300ml milk
20g (1 tablespoon) unsalted butter
25g plain flour

Method

1.

To make the bechamel sauce, place the onion, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaf and milk in a saucepan and heat to just below boiling point, then pour into a heatproof jug and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse.
2.

Clean the saucepan, then melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes. Strain the infused milk into the saucepan, discarding the solids, then cook over low heat, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Season, then set aside to cool.
3.

Place the bechamel sauce, boiled eggs and jamon in a bowl and use your hands to shape into about 10 croquettes (short, sausage shapes).
4.

Lightly beat the eggs with 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Place the flour and breadcrumbs in separate small bowls, then roll each croquette in the flour, then the egg mixture and breadcrumbs, followed by a second layer of egg mixture, then breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
5.

When ready to cook the croquettes, add enough oil to a frypan to come halfway up the sides. When oil is hot (the oil is ready when a cube of bread turns golden in 1 minute), add croquettes and deep-fry until golden. (You may need to do this in batches.)