Mediterranean
Croquetas de Jamón
Creamy, crispy ham croquetas made with a thick béchamel and a double breading.Prep
60min
Cook
10min
Total
1h10min+ 4h rest
"You can swap the ham for other leftover cooked or cured proteins. The béchamel has to be quite thick so the mix is not too liquid when shaped. You can fry the croquetas straight from frozen; if the filling is not warm inside, finish them in the oven."
Ingredients Croqueta filling Breading and frying
Serrano ham trims 150 g
Country ham trims 150 g
1/2 large onion 1 Units
Large cloves of garlic 2 Units
Whole-fat milk 950 ml
Olive oil 60 ml
Butter 55 g
All-purpose flour 65 g
Fine salt To taste
Ground white pepper To taste
All-purpose flour (for dredging) 100 g
Large eggs 2 Units
Panko breadcrumbs 300 g
Canola oil 1 l
Directions
1
1.Chop the ham and onion
Finely chop the Serrano and country ham trims. Peel and finely chop the onion. 2
2.Make the béchamel
Heat a large, heavy-bottom pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and butter, then the onion, and sauté for 1 minute or until translucent. Peel and grate the garlic directly into the pan and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the chopped ham and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour around the pan, stir to distribute it and cook for another minute or so.
Slowly add the milk, about 240 ml at a time, waiting until it has thickened before adding more.
Once all the milk is in, keep cooking the béchamel, stirring often, until it is quite thick, so it is not too liquid when shaped into croquetas. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. 3
3.Chill the mix
Line a small tray with parchment paper and spread the croqueta mix on it. This helps it cool faster and makes portioning easier later on. Transfer to the fridge for at least 3-4 hours, or to the freezer for 60-90 minutes. 4
4.Portion and shape
Invert the cold mix onto a large sheet of parchment paper and portion it into 16 equal pieces. Working quickly, roll each piece between your palms into a small ball, about the size of a golf ball. Place each croqueta on a new tray lined with parchment paper. For best results, freeze the tray for 20-30 minutes to set the croquetas and make them easier to work with. 5
5.Bread the croquetas
Set up 3 separate trays: flour, beaten eggs and panko. Dredge each croqueta first in the flour, then in the egg, then in the breadcrumbs. For the most even coating, dip each croqueta back into the egg before giving it a second round in the breadcrumbs.
Place the finished croquetas on a tray lined with parchment paper and freeze them to set. If not serving the same day, keep them in the freezer until you are ready to fry. You can fry them directly from frozen. 6
6.Fry
Preheat the canola oil to 175°C in a large heavy-bottom pot (or a deep fryer). Fry the croquetas for 2-3 minutes, in batches of 5-6, until the outside is golden brown. The inside should reach 50-55°C. If frying from frozen this might not be the case, so if needed finish the croquetas in the oven to make sure the filling has softened and warmed through. 7
7.Serve
Serve immediately and enjoy!