Article first published as Ham & Cheese Croquettes on Blogcritics.
Not too long ago, friends came over for a Spanish themed dinner I prepared. When creating dinner menus, especially for guests, I like thinking about restaurant menus and what I'd order. For Spanish tapas, a must-order dish are croquettes. The most popular ones I've seen at restaurants are like these Ham & Cheese Croquettes. I came across a recipe and it worked like a charm. These crunchy coated pillows were filled with a creamy ham and cheese middle. The contrast in texture definitely makes it more enticing....
These croquettes were easy to make and make in advance at that! I prepared the 'dough', rolled them into bite sized pieces, breaded them and chilled until I was ready to fry. I found by allow the breaded croquettes to chill helped the coating adhere and not fall apart as it cooked. These croquettes can also act as a great base recipe. You can sub the ham with cooked and shredded chicken breast and use a different cheese. I'm thinking I'll try a chicken & pepper jack croquette sometime soon....
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup onion, minced
3 medium green chives, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 (16 ounce) package sliced honey ham, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups shredded extra Cheddar cheese
3 cups dried breadcrumbs, divided
salt and pepper to taste
4 eggs
2 cups oil for frying
1/8 cup water
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, chives, and garlic; cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
Transfer contents of skillet to a large bowl. Stir in ham, Cheddar cheese, and 1 1/2 cups of bread crumbs.
Beat 3 eggs; stir into ham mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using your hands, make golf ball-size balls out of the ham mixture.
Spread remaining bread crumbs onto a plate. In a large bowl, beat 1 egg; stir in water. Dip balls into egg mixture, and roll in bread crumbs. Place on a platter in a single layer, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place croquettes in hot oil being careful not to crowd, frying in batches. Fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to soak up grease.
We ate at a Spanish restaurant a few weeks ago and had Ham & Cheese Croquettes. I can't wait to try this recipe at home. We loved the croquettes at the restaurant!
ReplyDeleteI will never forget my first croquette--prepared for me by my host mother in Spain when we were visiting her family in Malaga. I've been in love with them ever since.
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