Chorizo And Manchego Croquetas Food

CHORIZO AND MANCHEGO CROQUETAS

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour to make a thick paste.
• Gradually stir in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted, then stir in the chorizo and season really well. Scoop into a tray or dish, cool, then chill completely in the fridge. (This can take 2-3 hours, or you could do it the day before.)
• Put the egg on one plate and breadcrumbs on another. Scoop out large teaspoonfuls of the mix and roll each into a ball about 3cm across. Roll the balls in the egg then the crumbs. Repeat so you have a double layer of egg and breadcrumbs.
• Fill a pan 1/3 full with oil and heat to 180C (or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds), then deep fry the balls in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden. Scoop out and drain on kitchen paper.

MANCHEGO AND HAM CROQUETAS

Steps:

• Cook the onion and bell pepper in the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the ham and cook, stirring, 10 more minutes. Add the butter and let melt, then add the smoked paprika and flour and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 3/4 cups milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the manchego until melted.
• Scatter the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and set aside, 5 minutes. Whisk the gelatin mixture until smooth, then stir into the cheese mixture. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put some flour in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in another bowl and put the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture and form into a football shape. Dredge in the flour, then dip in the eggs and roll in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make about 40 croquetas. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
• Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the croquetas until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

CHORIZO CROQUETAS WITH AïOLI

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a pan over a medium-low heat, and fry the onion for 8 mins until softened but not coloured. Stir in the flour until it's incorporated into the fat and onions. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 mins, stirring - don't let it brown. Warm the milk in a medium pan over a low heat until steaming.
• Remove the onion mixture from the heat and add the milk, a little at a time, stirring after each addition until smooth. When all the milk has been added, return the pan to medium-low heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 6 mins, stirring often to prevent it from catching. Set aside.
• Cook the chorizo in a frying pan over a medium heat for 3 mins - you don't need any fat, as fat will be released from the chorizo as it cooks. Stir the fried chorizo into the sauce along with the cheese, parsley and seasoning. Pour the sauce into a dish and leave to cool completely, then cover and chill for at least 3 hrs, or overnight.
• Next, make the aïoli. Put the garlic and the egg yolks in a bowl and beat with an electric whisk while slowly adding the oil, a drop at a time. As the mixture starts to thicken, you can add the oil more quickly, in greater amounts. Squeeze in some lemon juice and season, tasting as you go to ensure the flavour is balanced (you can also add a drop of white wine vinegar as well as lemon juice, if you like). Cover and chill until ready to serve.
• Using wet hands, roll the chilled chorizo mixture into walnut-sized balls. Put the egg in a shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs on a shallow plate. Roll the croquetas in the egg, then crumbs, making sure each is well coated. Put the croquetas on a baking tray, then cover loosely and chill for a few hours to firm up, so they don't break up when you fry them.
• Pour the groundnut oil into a pan until it is no more than a third full, and heat to 180C, or until a cube of bread dropped in turns golden within 30 seconds. Deep-fry the croquetas in batches for 2-3 mins per batch, keeping an eye on the temperature. If the oil is too hot, the croquetas will darken on the outside before the inside is hot - they should be golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the croquetas to a plate lined with kitchen paper, leave to drain for a few minutes, then serve with the aïoli.