Spanish Ham Croquettes (Croquetas de Jamón)
Homemade Spanish ham croquettes or croquetas, prepared with a mixture of butter, milk, onion, flour,Serrano ham, nutmeg; then coated with breadcrumbs and egg, and fried until perfectly crispy and golden.
Servings 18 croquettes
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup finely chopped white onion
- 1 ½ cup or 200 g. Serrano style Spanish ham chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups milk
- 2 cups oil for frying
- A pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
For coating the croquettes:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour for coating
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Place the butter in a non-stick pot and cook over medium heat. When it melts, add the chopped onions and cook until they are transparent and begin to brown. Then, add the Serrano ham and continue cooking so that the ham releases its flavor.
- With a strainer or sieve, stirring constantly, add the wheat flour to the onion and ham mixture. A very thick paste will form. Be careful, it should not stick to the bottom because you will lose the mixture.
- Slowly start adding the milk, while stirring with a whisk. Take advantage of this to remove any bits that might have stuck to the bottom of the pot. The flour paste will completely dissolve in the milk, forming a creamy sauce.
- The mixture will thicken little by little, until you can see the bottom of the pot. At this point you should switch the whisk for a spatula or kitchen spoon, and cook (mixing) until the mixture comes away from the edges of the pot.
- To make croquettes, it is necessary that the mixture is firmer than a bechamel sauce, because otherwise, the croquettes will fall apart when you fry them. Taste the mixture, if you think it needs salt, you should add it at this point. The amount of salt needed for this recipe can vary depending on the ham, some have enough added salt.
- Pour the hot mixture into a bowl or container, and cover it with plastic wrap immediately. The plastic wrap should be in direct contact with the mixture, to prevent a layer of skin from forming. Put the mixture in the refrigerator for at least three hours, or one hour in the freezer.
- When the mixture is completely cold, remove it from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
- Take out similar-sized portions with a spoon. Form approximately 16 to 18 croquettes. You can shape them into round balls or long ovals, according to your preference
- To coat the croquetas, place the all-purpose flour on a flat plate, and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat this procedure with the breadcrumbs. Beat the egg and add a pinch of salt. First, roll each croquette in the flour, rolling the croquette until it is completely covered in flour. Then quickly dip it in the beaten egg. Finally, cover it with plenty of breadcrumbs. Repeat this procedure with all the croquettes.
- In a small pot, place enough oil for frying. We used two cups. When the oil is bubbling, add the croquettes in batches, three to four at a time, they should have enough space between them. Cook for approximately three minutes until golden brown.
- Remove the croquetas from the oil and place them on absorbent paper for a few minutes.
- Serve immediately, can be served alone or with your preferred dipping sauce.
