Jamón and Wild Garlic Croquetas

Name: Jamón and Wild Garlic Croquetas
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 150g wild garlic leaves; 350ml whole milk; 45ml olive oil; 65g plain flour; 35g manchego cheese, grated; 80g jamón ibérico or serrano, diced; 1 large egg, beaten; 75g breadcrumbs; 1L vegetable oil for deep frying

Crisp Spanish tapas croquetas bursting with rich béchamel, savoury cured ham and punchy wild garlic.

90 min serves 4 Hard Watch

Ingredients

150g wild garlic leaves100g

350ml whole milk1L

45ml olive oil500ml

65g plain flour1.5kg

35g manchego cheese, grated175g

80g jamón ibérico or serrano, diced100g

1 large egg, beaten6 pack

75g breadcrumbs175g

1L vegetable oil for deep frying1L

Method

Wash the wild garlic leaves well in a colander, then pour over boiling water from the kettle until just wilted. Immediately rinse under cold running water, then squeeze out the excess water and finely chop.
Warm the milk in a pan over a low heat until just steaming. Heat the oil or butter in a second pan and, once warm or melted, stir in the flour for a couple of minutes until it starts to brown a little. Gradually add the warm milk, a little at a time, until you have a thick, silky sauce. Bubble for a minute or two, stirring to make sure all the flour has cooked out. Season.
Add the manchego, jamón and wild garlic to the pan, and beat to combine. Tip out onto a lightly oiled baking tray or plate, spread out then cover and chill for at least 1 hr. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs.
Lightly oil your hands and shape the mixture into 18-20 even-sized balls. Arrange on a baking tray and freeze for 30 mins to firm up.
Beat the egg in a shallow dish with a little seasoning. Tip the panko into a second dish. Dip each of the croquetas in the egg, then turn to coat in the breadcrumbs. At this point, the raw croquetas can be frozen for up to three months. Pour the oil into a large, deep pan ensuring it is no more than a third full and heat to 170C, or until a cube of bread browns lightly in 30 seconds. Fry the croquetas in batches for 2-3 mins until deeply golden. To cook from frozen, fry at 160C for a few minutes longer until they’re piping hot inside. Remove to a sheet of kitchen paper using a slotted spoon and leave to drain. Serve warm with a glass of sherry.

Cost to cook

serves 4 · I have the cupboard staples

Mostly estimated prices. Full-pack shop cost · about £4.31 of it is what this recipe actually uses.

Find it in store

Search the ingredients at your stores:

Tesco Asda

£10.35 est. · serves 4

Method

Wash the wild garlic leaves well in a colander, then pour over boiling water from the kettle until just wilted. Immediately rinse under cold running water, then squeeze out the excess water and finely chop.

Warm the milk in a pan over a low heat until just steaming. Heat the oil or butter in a second pan and, once warm or melted, stir in the flour for a couple of minutes until it starts to brown a little. Gradually add the warm milk, a little at a time, until you have a thick, silky sauce. Bubble for a minute or two, stirring to make sure all the flour has cooked out. Season.

Add the manchego, jamón and wild garlic to the pan, and beat to combine. Tip out onto a lightly oiled baking tray or plate, spread out then cover and chill for at least 1 hr. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs.

Lightly oil your hands and shape the mixture into 18-20 even-sized balls. Arrange on a baking tray and freeze for 30 mins to firm up.

Beat the egg in a shallow dish with a little seasoning. Tip the panko into a second dish. Dip each of the croquetas in the egg, then turn to coat in the breadcrumbs. At this point, the raw croquetas can be frozen for up to three months. Pour the oil into a large, deep pan ensuring it is no more than a third full and heat to 170C, or until a cube of bread browns lightly in 30 seconds. Fry the croquetas in batches for 2-3 mins until deeply golden. To cook from frozen, fry at 160C for a few minutes longer until they’re piping hot inside. Remove to a sheet of kitchen paper using a slotted spoon and leave to drain. Serve warm with a glass of sherry.