Spanish recipes - Ham Croquettes - Croquetas de Jamón

There are many different types of croquettes - ham, chicken, seafood, cheese that are served in tapas bars and restaurants. This recipe is for the queen of croquettes or the reina de las croquetas. This is an extremely easy croquette recipe. It has a strong flavor and is creamy inside. This recipe reins from Angelita Garcia de Paredes, a Franciscan missionary nun in a convent in Seville. She creates the béchamel sauce in her own unique way, it is a little thicker than most croquettes recipes. Once the batter is chilled, it firms up a bit, which makes it easier to shape. Once it is fried, it crisps the outside with a creamy center. Delicious, enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons or 3/4 stick of unsalted butter

1 medium onion (finely chopped)

7 oz. of jamon serrano (finely chopped)

pinch of nutmeg

3 cups of whole milk

1 cup of all-purpose flour

salt to taste

matzo meal or dry bread crumbs (fine)

2 large eggs

sunflower or olive oil (for frying)

Directions

On a low heat setting, add butter and saute the onion. Then, add the ham, stirring occasionally. Add the nutmeg and 1 1/2 cups of milk, bring to a boil. Use a mixer to beat the flour and remaining milk until smooth (no clumps). Pour this into the pan while stirring fast. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring throughout, until the bechamel transforms into a beautiful paste that leaves the bottom of the pan easily. Depending on the ham, you may want to add some salt. Put mixture into a bowl, cover with saran wrap, chill for 120 minutes or overnight.

Making the croquettas:

Generously sprinkle a large plate with fine matzo meal or bread crumbs. Do the same on a second plate, but use medium matzo meal and bread crumbs. Lightly beat some eggs in a shallow soup plate.

A traditional Spanish chef will use two oiled spoons to shape the croquettas into ovals. Another strategy is to oil your hands and simply shape the bechamel paste into balls in the palm of your hand. In order to make a nice thick crust, roll the croquettas in the fine matzo meal first. Then, roll them in the shallow soup plate of beaten egg. Now, roll them in the medium sized matzo meal or bread crumbs to create the nice thick crust.

Heat the sunflower or olive oil to medium heat in a deep skillet. The oil should be just hot enough that when you drop a piece of bread it sizzles but does not turn dark immediately. Now the fun part! Drop the croquetas in the oil in batches and fry for 5-6 minutes or until they are light brown. Flip them once. Lift them out with a spoon that drains easily and place the little gems on some paper towels. It is best to eat them ASAP! Yay, congrats, you have just made a delicious traditional Spanish tapa.