Croquetas de jamon are a popular tapa all over Spain. Spaniards love their croquetas, but if you’re put off by thoughts of the grey, unidentifiable mush that is often found in English frozen croquettes, think again. These are delicious, and surprisingly easy to make.
Make your croquettes with Serrano ham for the best flavour. I use ‘taquitos de Jamon Serrano,’ which is diced ham for cooking. You can buy them in LIDL and other supermarkets, for less than 2 Euro for 2 x 75g packets. I always keep some in, as they are also great in omelettes, soups or pasta sauces. The uses are endless, and you have the flavour of the Serrano ham without the bother of chopping it up. Serrano ham usually comes from black Iberian pigs. The Romans imported the pigs to make Prosciutto, of which they are justly proud, but remember, the Spanish got in there first!
Ingredients
• 2 beaten eggs
• 4 tbsps flour
• 3 x 75g packs of taquitos (or lardons). If unavailable, buy 225 - 250g of Serrano ham and dice it yourself.
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 cup of milk
• 3 tbsps olive oil, plus oil for frying
• Salt and pepper, a generous pinch of paprika and 1 tbsp freeze dried parsley for seasoning
Method
Saute onions in a little oil until soft, then stir in flour. Cook for a while, then whisk in the milk. Cook until sauce thickens nicely, stirring all the time to avoid burning.
Remove from heat, add your chosen seasonings and ham and stir thoroughly. Place the mixture in a dish and refrigerate until it’s firm and easy to handle. I make it the night before I need it, so the flavours have time to develop fully.
Using 2 dishes, put the eggs in one and the breadcrumbs in the other. If you like garlic, grind a little into the breadcrumbs, but not too much! Or for extra flavour, buy ready-made breadcrumbs with garlic and parsley.
Moisten your hands and form the chilled mixture into balls or conventional croquette shapes. Now dip in breadcrumbs, then egg, then breadcrumbs again, making sure croquettes are well coated. Chill for at least 30 minutes. If you’re short of time, place the croquettes in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Fry in batches in a deep fat fryer for about 3 minutes. Don’t overload the fryer, as it will cool the oil, and your croquettes will soak up too much fat. There's nothing worse than a soggy croqueta, and there's not a lot you can do to redeem the situation.
Serve as part of a tapas lunch, or with drinks when you get together with friends. Buen Provecho!
