Spanish Croquetas De Jamon

• ukupno vrijeme: 5 hours 16 minutes

Sastojci

150g Serrano ham trims

150g country ham trims

150g sliced Serrano ham (optional)

1/ large onion

2 large cloves garlic

4 cups whole-fat milk

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup AP flour + more for dredging

227g (1 box) panko breadcrumbs

4 large eggs

1L canola oil

Fine salt (to taste)

Ground white pepper (to taste)

Upute

INSTRUCTIONS:

Finely chop your Serrano and country ham trims. As mentioned in the video - you can also use other leftover cooked or cured proteins instead of ham. Peel & finely chop your onion.

Heat a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add your olive oil and butter. Add your onion, and sauté for 1 minute, or until translucent. Peel, and grate your garlic cloves directly into the pot. Sauté for another 30 seconds. Add your diced ham. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle your flour around the pot. Stir to distribute the flour, and cook for another minute or so. Slowly start adding in your milk, 1 cup at a time, waiting until the milk has thickened before adding more. Once all your milk has been added, continue cooking down your bechamel, stirring often, until the mix has thickened. You are looking for your bechamel to be quite thick (see video for reference), so it is not too liquid when shaped into a croqueta! Season your mix to taste with salt and white pepper.

Line a small tray with parchment paper, and spread out your Croquetas mix on the tray. This will allow the mix to cool faster, and help portion the croquetas later on. Transfer the mix to the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, or to the freezer for 60-90 minutes.

When ready to portion, invert your croqueta mix onto another large sheet of parchment paper. Portion it into 16 equal pieces. Working quickly, roll your croquetas into small balls between your palms, about the size of a golf ball. Place each croqueta back onto a new tray lined with parchment paper. For best results, transfer the tray to the freezer for 20-30 minutes to help set the croquetas, and make them easier to work with.

Prepare your breading set-up, with 3 separate trays of flour, beaten eggs, and panko. Dredge each croqueta first in the flour, then into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs. For best results, place each croqueta back into the egg mix, before giving it a second round of breading in the breadcrumbs. This will ensure the most even coating possible. Place all your finished croquetas back onto a tray lined with parchment paper, and once again, transfer them back into the freezer to set. If not serving same-day, keep your croquetas in the freezer until you are ready to serve them. You can fry them directly from frozen when you are ready.

Pre-heat a your canola oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a large heavy-bottom (or a deep fryer, if you have one). Fry your croquetas for 2-3 minutes, working in batches of 5-6, until the exterior is golden brown. You also want to ensure your croquetas have an internal temperature of 50-55 degrees Celsius. If frying from frozen, this might not be the case. If needed, finish your croquetas in the oven to ensure the filling has softened and warmed through.

Serve immediately with a small dollop of aioli, and a slice of fresh ham (optional), and enjoy!