IBERIAN HAM CROQUETTES
Ingredients
For the dough (béchamel sauce):
- 150g of Viruteo Iberian ham shavings.
- 1 liter of whole milk (preferably at room temperature).
- 90g of butter.
- 90g of common wheat flour.
- 1 cebolleta pequeña picada muy fina (opcional)
- A pinch of nutmeg.
- Salt (be careful here, the ham is already salty).
For battering and frying:
- 2 beaten eggs.
- Breadcrumbs (or panko if you want them extra crispy)
- Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or sunflower oil for frying.
Step by step
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1. Infusionar y preparar el sabor
In a large frying pan or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped spring onion and cook until translucent. Add the ham shavings and toss them a couple of times to release their fat (don’t overcook them or they will become hard).
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2. Toast the flour (The key step)
Sprinkle the flour over the butter and ham mixture. Stir well with a whisk for 2 to 3 minutes.
Note: It’s vital to cook the flour; otherwise, the croquettes will taste like raw flour. It should have the consistency of a golden paste. -
3. Create the béchamel sauce
Start adding the milk little by little, in small streams, while continuously stirring with the whisk. Do not add more milk until the previous amount is completely incorporated.
- Continue cooking over low heat for about 15-20 minutes.
- You’ll know it’s ready when the dough easily pulls away from the sides of the pan.
- Add the nutmeg and adjust the salt if necessary.
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4. Rest
Pour the batter into a shallow dish. Cover it with cling film, pressing it directly onto the surface of the batter to prevent a dry crust from forming. Let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a minimum of 4-6 hours (ideally overnight).
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5. Roll into balls and coat in breadcrumbs
Once the dough has cooled and firmed:
- Take portions with a spoon and shape them with your hands (or using two spoons).
- Coat them first in breadcrumbs, then in beaten eggs, and finally in breadcrumbs again. This “double coating” ensures they won’t burst when frying.
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6. The perfect fry
Heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan. The oil should be hot (around 180°C), but not smoking. Fry the croquettes in small batches so as not to cool the oil down. When they are golden brown, let them rest on paper towels.
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