Serrano Ham Croquettes Food

SERRANO HAM CROQUETTES

Steps:

• Boil your potatos until tender and ready to mash. about 15-18 minutes then mash. Once You're happy there are no lumps beat the butter into the mashed potato with a wooden spoon or a sturdy metal whisk then do the same with a small splash of milk, season well and stir thoroughly again. Allow to cool for half an hour.
• Meanwhile chop your ham finely and Fry with the garlic for around 5 mins in the olive oli on a medium heat then stir into your mash along with salt and pepper, the chopped parsley and basil.
• Once cooled beat the eggs in a dessert bowl and spread a dinner plate with the breadcrumbs. Form a croquette, which should be a sausage shape about the length of your little finger and a good inch in diameter. Dip this in the egg and roll it around in the breadcrumbs to coat evenly then transfer to a good sized, buttered or non-stick baking tray. Repeat this step until you run out of potato. Don't be afraid to use another egg or some more crumbs if you feel you're getting too low.
• Put your croquettes in the fridge to set for a further minimum 30mins. This step is vital if you don't want them to break up when cooking. Heat your oven to 200 degrees C.
• Traditionally these croquettes are fried in olive oil over a medium heat until golden all over and hot through. Feel free to do this but I prefer to bake in the oven for 20-25mins turn once or twice during cooking to ensure an even colour.

CROQUETTES WITH SERRANO HAM AND MANCHEGO CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until butter has melted. Add onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in milk, and cook, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in ham and 1/3 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet, and let cool completely. Mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
• Whisk together eggs in a shallow dish. Stir together breadcrumbs and remaining 1/4 cup cheese in another shallow dish. Scoop tablespoons of cooled mixture, and shape with floured hands into 2-inch ovals. Working with 1 oval at a time, coat in beaten egg, then in breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a large, heavy stockpot until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry croquettes, flipping once, until dark golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. (Adjust heat between batches as needed to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve warm, garnished with parsley sprigs.

SERRANO HAM AND MANCHEGO CROQUETAS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl or in the food processor combine mashed potatoes, cheese, ham and eggs. Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper. The mixture should still be wet enough so the bread crumbs stick to the croquettas. Form into croquettas (makes about 2 dozen, medium-sized) and dip into panko bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper. Pat lightly so the crumbs stick. Lay out on a tray, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before frying.
• To fry, heat 1-inch of vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or heavy bottomed pot, over medium heat to about 360 degrees F. Fry in small batches, turning once until evenly browned. Each batch should take approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season with kosher salt. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with chives and shaved manchego. Serve with Romesco Sauce.
• Toast almonds in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer almonds to a blender. Add roasted red peppers, egg yolk, garlic, zest, and season with salt and pepper. Pulse a few times to combine the ingredients. With the blender on low speed drizzle in the olive oil. Once it begins to emulsify, stop the blender and add the orange juice, and sherry vinegar. Buzz once more to fully emulsify.
• *RAW EGG WARNING
• Food Network Kitchens suggest caution in consuming raw and lightly-cooked eggs. Due to the slight risk of Salmonella or other food-borne illness. To reduce this risk, we recommend you use only fresh, properly-refrigerated, clean, grade A or AA eggs with intact shells, and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shell.

HAM CROQUETAS

Steps:

• To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a pan until it starts to shimmer. Add the leek and sauté until soft but not coloured. Stir in the ham with a wooden spoon, fry for 1 min, then stir in the flour and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is golden but not burnt - this will take about 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, combine the stock and milk in a small pan and heat until steaming but not boiling. Season with a few scrapes of nutmeg. Gradually add the liquid, a few tbsp at a time, stirring constantly.
• Once you've incorporated all the milk stock, continue to cook the filling over a medium heat for about 10 mins or until it thickens and leaves the sides of the pan when you stir it.
• Season with black pepper, taste and adjust the salt if necessary - the ham can be very salty to start with. The filling is now done: it has to be really thick because you don't want the croquetas to turn into pancakes.
• Smooth the mixture onto a baking tray (30 x 20cm is fine). Once it has stopped steaming, cover with cling film to stop it drying out. Leave to cool before putting it in the fridge for 1 hr.
• When you're ready for the next stage, line up three bowls: the first filled with the flour, the second with beaten egg and the third with breadcrumbs. Take the ham mixture out of the fridge. Put a little bit of olive oil on your hands to make it easier to roll the croquetas.
• Roll a spoonful of the mixture between your palms. The size and shape of the croquetas is up to you, but the easiest is a walnut-sized ball. Then begin coating as follows.
• Dunk the croquetas into the flour - you want a dusting - followed by the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Put them on a tray and, when you've used up all the mixture, place in the fridge for 30 mins.
• If you have a deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 180C and fry for a couple of mins. If not, heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan until it starts to shimmer. Then add 5-6 croquetas at a time and fry until golden all over. Once cooked, drain on kitchen paper and eat straight away.

SERRANO HAM AND CHICKEN CROQUETTES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
• Whisk in 6 tbsp flour and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk, lower the heat and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens and turns glossy, 1-2 minutes. Stir in thyme and nutmeg, then add chicken and ham; season with salt and pepper.
• Refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Pour the remaining flour and cornflakes onto separate plates.
• In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs.
• Shape heaping tbsp of the chilled meat mixture into 2 by 1 inch cylinders and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Coat each one with flour, dip into eggs, then coat with cornflakes and transfer to baking sheet.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the croquettes and fry until golden brown, 2-3 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.

CROQUETTES WITH SERRANO HAM AND MANCHEGO CHEESE

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the flour; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, and cook, whisking, 3 minutes. Whisk in the ham and 1/3 cup cheese. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet, and let cool completely. The mixture can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
• Whisk together the eggs in a shallow dish. Stir together the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 cup cheese in another shallow dish. Scoop tablespoons of the cooled mixture, and shape with floured hands into 2-inch ovals. Working with 1 oval at a time, coat in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumb mixture. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Heat 2 1/2 inches oil in a large, heavy stockpot until it registers 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry the croquettes, flipping once, until dark golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. (Adjust the heat between batches as needed to keep oil at a steady temperature.) Serve warm, garnished with parsley sprigs.