Croquetas Recipes

Steps:

• For the bechamel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the foam has subsided, add the onion and peppers and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour until a paste forms and cook for a couple of minutes while whisking. Slowly add milk in a steady stream to form a thick sauce. Season to taste with salt. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.
• For the croquettas: In a medium bowl, add crabmeat. Gently toss with lime juice. Set aside.
• When the bechamel has cooled, add several spoonfuls to the crab until it just holds together. Shape into balls or ovals about the size of golf balls and chill in the refrigerator about 20 minutes.
• In a bowl, add the beaten eggs. In another bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, baking powder, and cornstarch. Dip croquettas first in egg to coat, then roll in the flour mixture. Meanwhile, place oil in a Dutch oven (the oil should be at least 4 inches deep) and heat to 375 degrees F. In batches, fry croquettas until golden brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Remove the croquettas, drain on paper towels, and season with salt.
• While the croquettas are frying, for the dipping sauce, whisk together the mayonnaise, miso paste and chives. Serve the croquettas with the sauce on the side.

Steps:

• For the croquette batter: In a heavy pot, heat the milk and chicken stock on the stove and then add the white pepper, fresh parsley and salt, if needed. In a separate heavy pot, melt the butter and add the minced celery. Stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Pour in the hot milk and stock and stir until thickened and smooth. Fold in the chicken meat and allow to cool.
• Breading the croquettes: Shape 3-ounce portions of croquette batter in the shape of a cone and place on a tray lined with waxed paper. Next make an egg wash from the milk, eggs and salt. Dip the croquettes in the egg wash and then into the flour and let stand a few minutes. Finish breading by dipping the croquettes back in the egg wash and then rolling in breadcrumbs.
• For the chicken gravy: Melt the butter in a 1- or 2-quart saucepan, and stir in the flour. Pour in the stock and whisk until smooth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes. Add the fresh parsley, white pepper and salt, to taste, (if fresh stock was used).
• Cooking the croquettes: Fry the croquettes in a pot with salad oil or liquid shortening, heated to 350 degrees F, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain well and blot on paper towels. Place on a bed of mashed potatoes and top each croquette with chicken gravy.

Steps:

• To make the croquetas, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and gently fry the onion for 3 mins or until lightly coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 secs. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook over a low heat for 5 mins until thick and glossy. Stir in the ham, cheese, mustard and cream, and season to taste. Cook for 1 min more until the cheese melts, stirring constantly.
• Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool, then chill for 4 hrs or overnight - the mixture needs to be very stiff to form the croquetas. Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and, with wet hands, roll into 24 small oval shapes and put on a tray. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, put the flour on a plate and half of the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
• Roll each of the croquetas lightly in flour, then in egg before coating in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Use the remaining breadcrumbs to top up the bowl halfway through the coating process. Chill for 30 mins (or to freeze, see tip, below left).
• Meanwhile, make the tomato chilli jam. Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely with a lit and cook for 50 mins - 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy. Leave to cool before serving.
• Fill a large saucepan one-third full with the sunflower oil and heat to 180C (or heat the oil in an electric deep-fat fryer). Do not overheat and do not leave hot oil unattended. Using a metal slotted spoon, lower 6 croquets into the oil and cook for 1.5 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil, and continue cooking the rest. Serve with the chilli jam for dipping.

Steps:

• Mix well the chicken, soup, stuffing mix, egg, onion, and celery. Refrigerate 3 hours minimum.
• Create a 'log' shape from about 3/4 cup of mixture. Gently drop onto the counter to flatten the bottom to form a traditional 'cone' shape. (about 3" high, 2" in diameter), or form patties for a simpler method.
• Roll croquettes in bread crumbs. (At this point, you can freeze them for up to two months or cover them and place them in the fridge overnight to serve the following day. Just bring them to room temperature when ready to use if frying them).
• Fry in about 1/4" of oil in skillet over medium heat turning occasionally till golden brown on all sides and bottom, about 10-15 minutes. For a healthier version, they can be baked at 350F for about 25-30 min (from the freezer, bake 45-50 minutes). Keep warm in 200 degree oven.
• MAKE THE SAUCE: Meanwhile, In a small saucepan, stir the remaining can of soup with milk, stirring until warmed and creamy.
• Pour over croquettes or serve sauce on the side. Traditionally served atop a mound of mashed potatoes for a wonderful presentation.

Steps:

• Saute onion in butter (or broth) until tender.
• Add crumbs (or bread or mashed potatoes) to onion.
• Add seasonings, aroma and parsley to mixture.
• Add meat.
• Add broth or water if too dry.
• The mixture should be firm and stick together to form and hold shape.
• Form into 8 cylinder, balls, or pattie shaped croquettes.
• Coat with bread crumbs, then dip in the egg white, then in the bread crumbs again.
• Cook quickly in preheated hot oil until the outside is brown and the croquette is heated/cooked throughout.
• Serve hot with french fries and salad.

Steps:

• Make your bechamel sauce by first melting olive oil and butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Add flour to melted butter and mix well with whisk.
• Add 1/2 cup milk to saucepan and increase heat to medium-high.
• Stir constantly to avoid burning, and cook for about 5 minutes or until bechamel has thickened.
• Reduce head to medium and cook for another 10 minutes to allow bechamel to thicken fully.
• Add minced ham and season lightly with salt (as ham is already salty).
• Blend evenly and transfer mixture to a lightly oiled 8 inch shallow dish. Ensure the mixture is even all across.
• Refrigerate mixture at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.
• To make croquetas, shape the chilled ham mixture either with two tablespoons or your hands into a cylindrical shape about the length of your thumb or forefinger.
• Break eggs into a bowl and whisk. Put breadcrumbs seasoned with salt only, if you really want to season breadcrumbs, on a plate.
• Heat oil in a large pan over medium to medium-high heat.
• Dip croquetas into egg and roll in breadcrumbs; do this twice to double-coat them.
• After all croquetas have been assembled, refrigerate them for 30 minutes before frying.
• Fry each croqueta until golden brown and put on paper towel-lined plate. As you cook, you can keep them warm in a low oven.
• I like to eat these alone, or maybe with some steamed white rice and black beans. I hope you enjoy!

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the ham and onion until coarsely ground. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Quickly whisk in 1/2 cup flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and tan, 2 to 3 minutes. While whisking, gradually add 1 cup milk, then continue whisking until the mixture thickens to the consistency of soft mashed potatoes, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to stir until very thick, firm and a darker shade of brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Some browning on the bottom of the pan is OK.
• To the pan, add the ham mixture, parsley, garlic powder and salt, and vigorously mix until the ingredients are evenly incorporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper and pat into a 9-by-7-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
• Cut the chilled paste into 21 (3-by-1-inch) rectangles, then gently roll each into a 3-inch-long cylinder. Make sure the croquetas are smooth and without cracks. Place the croquetas on the sheet pan and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Place the cracker crumbs on a plate. In a medium bowl, combine the egg and remaining 2/3 cup milk, and whisk until combined.
• Submerge 4 to 5 chilled croquetas in the milk mixture to thoroughly coat, then transfer immediately to the crackers, making sure the croquetas are coated in the crumbs. Return to the sheet pan and repeat with the remaining croquetas. Freeze again until firm but not frozen, 15 to 30 minutes. Don't freeze for longer than 30 minutes as they may burst in the hot oil.
• Towards the end of the chilling time, fill a small Dutch oven or heavy saucepan with oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, use a croqueta as a test piece: Carefully drop in 1 croqueta. If it immediately begins to fry and brown, the oil is ready. Carefully add 2 to 3 croquetas and fry, turning if needed to evenly cook, until golden brown,1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving. Repeat with the remaining croquetas, working in batches and adjusting the heat to maintain the oil temperature. Serve immediately with lime wedges, hot sauce and saltine crackers.

Steps:

• To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a pan until it starts to shimmer. Add the leek and sauté until soft but not coloured. Stir in the ham with a wooden spoon, fry for 1 min, then stir in the flour and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is golden but not burnt - this will take about 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, combine the stock and milk in a small pan and heat until steaming but not boiling. Season with a few scrapes of nutmeg. Gradually add the liquid, a few tbsp at a time, stirring constantly.
• Once you've incorporated all the milk stock, continue to cook the filling over a medium heat for about 10 mins or until it thickens and leaves the sides of the pan when you stir it.
• Season with black pepper, taste and adjust the salt if necessary - the ham can be very salty to start with. The filling is now done: it has to be really thick because you don't want the croquetas to turn into pancakes.
• Smooth the mixture onto a baking tray (30 x 20cm is fine). Once it has stopped steaming, cover with cling film to stop it drying out. Leave to cool before putting it in the fridge for 1 hr.
• When you're ready for the next stage, line up three bowls: the first filled with the flour, the second with beaten egg and the third with breadcrumbs. Take the ham mixture out of the fridge. Put a little bit of olive oil on your hands to make it easier to roll the croquetas.
• Roll a spoonful of the mixture between your palms. The size and shape of the croquetas is up to you, but the easiest is a walnut-sized ball. Then begin coating as follows.
• Dunk the croquetas into the flour - you want a dusting - followed by the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Put them on a tray and, when you've used up all the mixture, place in the fridge for 30 mins.
• If you have a deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 180C and fry for a couple of mins. If not, heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan until it starts to shimmer. Then add 5-6 croquetas at a time and fry until golden all over. Once cooked, drain on kitchen paper and eat straight away.

Steps:

• Melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the flour and stir constantly. Cook the roux for 5 minutes until the flour is cooked through and golden brown. Pour the milk into the flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, until you have a thick sauce.
• Add the chicken or other protein/veggie, and sprinkle in 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the nutmeg. Cook for another 2 minutes and cool a little; it should be very thick. Try to make a little ball in your hands; it shouldn't stick too much. If it does stick, return to pan and cook a little longer. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and cool.
• Take a a golf-ball sized ball of the mixture and roll in your hands to make a cylinder. Roll in the remaining 1 cup flour, then in the eggs, and then in the breadcrumbs and set aside to dry on another cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
• In a small deep frying pan, heat the olive oil to 375 degrees. Working in small batches, add the croquetas, making sure they are covered completely in oil. Fry until golden, about 1 minute, then transfer to a paper towel-lined rack to drain. Be sure to allow the oil to return to 375 degrees F on a thermometer between batches. Season with salt and serve hot.

Steps:

• If using left-over chicken or turkey, chop it finely and set aside. Continue with the recipe from Step 3, using stock to make the sauce rather than water, and add the chicken or turkey to the sauce at Step 6.
• If using veal or beef, season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place a large pan over medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the veal or beef, wine, onion, clove, bay leaves, nutmeg or mace, parsley, thyme, lemon zest or juice and water. (Use chicken stock if you have chosen to use chicken or turkey.) Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. By this time the meat should be tender (or if using poultry, the stock will be bursting with flavor).
• Strain the stock and reserve, along with the meat. Finely chop or cut the meat into into small pieces.
• Melt the remaining butter in the pan, stir in the flour and keep stirring for a few minutes on low heat. Don't let it brown. Slowly and gradually add the stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sauce is smooth and thick. Add more flour, or corn starch to thicken the sauce if necessary. Cool slightly and add the 3 egg yolks and mix well (reserve the whites for later).
• Add the veal, beef, chicken or turkey, mix well and season to taste. The mixture should be thick and stiff by this time.
• Set the mixture aside to cool thoroughly. When ready, cut or separate the stiff, thick mixture into rolls about 1.5" thick and about 3" long.
• Spread the crumbs on a clean, dry chopping board. Slightly beat the eggwhites in a deep plate until just incorporated. Roll the croquettes through the breadcrumbs, then through the egg whites and again through the crumbs. (Make sure that the second coating of crumbs is even and thick and no meat mix sticks out, otherwise the croquettes may burst when being deep fried).
• Deep fry the croquettes in batches of four or five for about 4 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
• Serve hot, with French fries or fresh chunks of bread. The best way to season is to slather with mustard, as the Dutch do!