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  Home > Spanish Recipes > Spanish Ham Croquettes
 


Spanish Ham Croquettes

  
   
   
   
Ingredients -  
   
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, plus extra for deep-frying
4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
3 heaping tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 cups Whole Milk, heated
3 ounces Jamón Serrano or other Dry-Cured Ham, finely chopped
Salt
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons dried Bread Crumbs
  
   
Preparation:  
   

Lightly oil a shallow 8-inch square dish. In a saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and butter over medium heat. When butter has melted, add flour and, using a wooden spoon or whisk, mix well. Continue to stir or whisk for about 2 minutes, or until flour is well blended.

Add 1/2 cup of the milk and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil and add the remaining cup of milk. Cook, stirring constantly with spoon or whisk, for about 5 minutes, or until mixture begins to thicken. Decrease heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened.

Add the jamon serrano, season lightly with salt (remember, the ham is already salty), and stir until evenly distributed. Cook for 1 minute longer and then pour the contents of the pan into the prepared dish. Spread the mixture evenly. Let cool down for a bit and then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight to allow the mixture to set.

Break eggs into a bowl and beat ligthly until blended. Spread bread crumbs on a dinner plate. With 2 spoons, shape béchamel-ham mixture into walnut-sized croquettes. Roll each croquette in bread crumbs, shaking off any excess crumbs, and then dip into beaten egg. Lift each croquette from egg and roll it again in bread crumbs, coating it evenly. Lay croquettes in a single layer on platter. Refrigerate 30 minutes before frying.

Pour olive oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a wide, deep, heavy pot and heat over high heat. When oil is almost smoking, slip 5 or 6 croquettes into oil, pressing on them gently with a slotted spoon to submerge them, and fry, turning them gently, for about 2 minutes, or until golden on all sides. Using slotted spoon, lift out croquettes, holding them briefly over pot to allow excess oil to drain, and transfer to an ovenproof platter lined with paper towels to drain further. Keep croquettes warm in a low oven. Fry rest of the croquettes in the same way, always making sure the oil is very hot before adding more croquettes. When all the croquettes are fried, arrange on a platter and serve immediately.