Spanish Ham and Chicken Croquetas (Fritters)
Recipe from the José Andrés cookbook “Tapas: A Taste of Spain in America”
Note: this recipe can be adapted with just about any filling: mushrooms, ham only, chicken only, hard-boiled eggs, or even fish, shrimp or crab. Start with roughly 9-10 oz of the filling of your choice and see where it takes you!
Croquetas:
1 stick unsalted butter (4 oz/8 T)
½ C finely diced onion
1½ C flour milled from soft wheat berries using the Pastry setting on the WonderMill
4 C whole milk (at room temperature or lightly warmed)
3 oz finely chopped serrano ham (can use prosciutto or even regular ham)
6 oz cooked chicken, shredded
½ – 1 t salt (adjust to taste)
1/8 t nutmeg
2 C Spanish EVOO
Breading:
1 C all-purpose flour milled from soft wheat berries using the Pastry setting on the WonderMill (use more if needed)
2 eggs, beaten
1 C bread crumbs (Panko) (use more if needed)
Melt butter in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the flour and stir constantly for 5 minutes to thoroughly cook; it will turn golden brown. Pour in the milk and stir/whisk continuously for about 2 minutes or until a very thick béchamel is formed (it’s done when drips hold their shape).
Add the ham, chicken, salt and nutmeg. Cook another 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is thick and can be molded into a ball: it’s done when as much batter sticks to a large spoon as falls off when turning a spoonful upside down. Allow to cool to room temperature before forming the croquetas. The batter will become even easier to roll once it’s cooled.
To form the croquetas, take a spoonful of batter (smaller than a ping pong ball) and roll it into a cylinder just larger than a wine cork. Form all the croquetas first. Next, roll each one in flour to coat; gently shake off excess and set aside until all of them are coated. Dip each one into the beaten eggs, gently shaking off excess, and set aside until all of them are coated. Finally, place the bread crumbs in a large plastic bag. Add a few croquetas at a time and shake gently to coat, then remove and set aside until all are coated.
In a small but deep frying pan, or a small sauce pan, heat the oil to 375 F. Add a few croquetas at a time so that they are completely covered in oil. Fry about a minute, gently turning them, until they turn light golden brown on all sides. Gently remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels to drain. Allow the oil to come back to 375 F each time before adding more croquetas. Serve the croquetas hot.
Yield: 60-75 pieces, depending on size
For step by step details, photos and tips for this recipe: visit Diane’s Food Blog.
