Recipe: croquetas de jamón

Croquetas de jamón can be found on the counter of every single tapas bar. Althogh it is probably not the healthiest Spanish food – as it is basically fried béchamel, – I can assure you that Spaniards and tourists equally love having them as tapas or for lunch.

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My recipe, which was experimented through months, is a mixture of the mode of preparation of a Hungarian chef and of the mother of my boyfriend. So now I will share my secret with you...

Ingredients for 13-15 croquetas:

• 0, 5 liter milk,
• 7 dkg flour,
• 8 dkg butter,
• 15 dkg Spanish ham (jamón ibérico),
• A small onion,
• Two cloves of garlic,
• White pepper and salt,
• A pinch of nutmeg,
• One tablespoon of olive oil.

Ingredients for the coating:

• 4-5 eggs,
• 25 dkg break crumbs,
• 20 dkg flour.

Before we start the process, it is important to know that it is highly advised to start the preparation the previous day in order for the béchamel to set properly, which makes the mixture easier to shape. When the croquetas are prepared for frying, put them in the fridge – if not a day before, at least leave it there for an hour.

Preparation:

1. In a saucepan, start to heat one tablespoon of olive oil. In the meantime, chop the onion into little pieces (you can use a vegetable chopper if the people your are preparing the croquetas for prefer not to feel the onion pieces) and cut the ham as well. When the oil is hot enough, add the onion, and just before the onion would get translucent, add the ham and fry it quickly, together with the onion, until the latter reaches its ideal condition. Also, the chopped cloves of garlic can go into the pan at this point.
2. As the next step, start to heat the butter. While the butter is melting, heat up the milk in the microwave – this way, it will be easier for the ingredients to dissolve. When the butter has melted, add the flour and using a wooden spoon, start to stir it. This won't take much time, so make sure to have the milk already prepared next to you. Then pour a part of the glass of milk into the saucepan and continue to stir the mixture. When the contents of the pan is thickening, pour more milk, while still stirring it constantly. Achieving the proper texture of the béchamel can take about 5-10 minutes, depending on the ingredients and on the temperature. While cooking the béchamel, season it with salt, white pepper and a a pinch of nutmeg, but carefully, because the ham can already be quite salty. Wait, until the mixture becomes stiff and turn off the fire.

   

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3. You can leave the béchamel in the pan or if you prefer, pour the contents into another dish and spread it evenly. This is the time to let it cool down for a bit in order to be able to put it into the fridge for 1-2 hours but preferably overnight.



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4. A couple of hours later or the next day take out the béchamel from the fridge and prepare the bread crumbs, the eggs and the flour for coating. With two spoons or with your own hands (I prefer the latter), shape the croquetas into 5-6 cm big ovals.
5. When you have all of them prepared, roll each one of them in flour, dip them into the beaten egg and then roll them again in the bread crumbs. I advise you to repeat the last two steps in order to prevent the béchamel to ooze out from its coating.
6. And that's it! Our croquetas are ready to be fried, which can be done either in a deep pot or in a deep fryer. Fry them for 3-5 minutes, until they get a nice golden colour.

   

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Croquetas can be served as the main course with some salad or mashed potatoes, but they can also play a complementary role on our plate. Whichever you choose, I guarentee that you will lick all your ten fingers!

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