Ham Croquetas Recipes

HAM CROQUETAS

Steps:

• To make the filling, heat the olive oil in a pan until it starts to shimmer. Add the leek and sauté until soft but not coloured. Stir in the ham with a wooden spoon, fry for 1 min, then stir in the flour and fry over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is golden but not burnt - this will take about 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, combine the stock and milk in a small pan and heat until steaming but not boiling. Season with a few scrapes of nutmeg. Gradually add the liquid, a few tbsp at a time, stirring constantly.
• Once you've incorporated all the milk stock, continue to cook the filling over a medium heat for about 10 mins or until it thickens and leaves the sides of the pan when you stir it.
• Season with black pepper, taste and adjust the salt if necessary - the ham can be very salty to start with. The filling is now done: it has to be really thick because you don't want the croquetas to turn into pancakes.
• Smooth the mixture onto a baking tray (30 x 20cm is fine). Once it has stopped steaming, cover with cling film to stop it drying out. Leave to cool before putting it in the fridge for 1 hr.
• When you're ready for the next stage, line up three bowls: the first filled with the flour, the second with beaten egg and the third with breadcrumbs. Take the ham mixture out of the fridge. Put a little bit of olive oil on your hands to make it easier to roll the croquetas.
• Roll a spoonful of the mixture between your palms. The size and shape of the croquetas is up to you, but the easiest is a walnut-sized ball. Then begin coating as follows.
• Dunk the croquetas into the flour - you want a dusting - followed by the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Put them on a tray and, when you've used up all the mixture, place in the fridge for 30 mins.
• If you have a deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 180C and fry for a couple of mins. If not, heat the oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan until it starts to shimmer. Then add 5-6 croquetas at a time and fry until golden all over. Once cooked, drain on kitchen paper and eat straight away.

MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER'S HAM CROQUETTES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix ham, egg, mayonnaise, and half the breadcrumbs together in a bowl; shape into 6 meatballs. Spread the remaining breadcrumbs onto a plate; roll the balls in the breadcrumbs to coat. Arrange the balls in a baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

HAM CROQUETAS

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the ham and onion until coarsely ground. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Quickly whisk in 1/2 cup flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and tan, 2 to 3 minutes. While whisking, gradually add 1 cup milk, then continue whisking until the mixture thickens to the consistency of soft mashed potatoes, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup flour and use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to stir until very thick, firm and a darker shade of brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Some browning on the bottom of the pan is OK.
• To the pan, add the ham mixture, parsley, garlic powder and salt, and vigorously mix until the ingredients are evenly incorporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a sheet pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment paper and pat into a 9-by-7-inch rectangle. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
• Cut the chilled paste into 21 (3-by-1-inch) rectangles, then gently roll each into a 3-inch-long cylinder. Make sure the croquetas are smooth and without cracks. Place the croquetas on the sheet pan and chill in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Place the cracker crumbs on a plate. In a medium bowl, combine the egg and remaining 2/3 cup milk, and whisk until combined.
• Submerge 4 to 5 chilled croquetas in the milk mixture to thoroughly coat, then transfer immediately to the crackers, making sure the croquetas are coated in the crumbs. Return to the sheet pan and repeat with the remaining croquetas. Freeze again until firm but not frozen, 15 to 30 minutes. Don't freeze for longer than 30 minutes as they may burst in the hot oil.
• Towards the end of the chilling time, fill a small Dutch oven or heavy saucepan with oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer, use a croqueta as a test piece: Carefully drop in 1 croqueta. If it immediately begins to fry and brown, the oil is ready. Carefully add 2 to 3 croquetas and fry, turning if needed to evenly cook, until golden brown,1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes before serving. Repeat with the remaining croquetas, working in batches and adjusting the heat to maintain the oil temperature. Serve immediately with lime wedges, hot sauce and saltine crackers.

HAM AND CHEESE CROQUETTES

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix the potatoes, 1/4 cup flour, cheese, and ham with a large rubber spatula until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste and divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Rub your hands with a small amount of flour and form the portions into small flat disks about 1/2-inch thick. Use just enough flour to keep the potatoes from sticking to your hands, but do not coat them completely.
• Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Shallow-fry the croquettes, turning once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the oil and drain on a paper-towel lined plate. Let the croquettes cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
• Cook's Note: This recipe doubles easily if you have enough leftover potatoes.

HAM CROQUETTES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion, green onions, 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.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 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 balls in hot oil being careful not to crowd. Fry until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to soak up grease.

MANCHEGO AND HAM CROQUETAS

Steps:

• Cook the onion and bell pepper in the olive oil in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the ham and cook, stirring, 10 more minutes. Add the butter and let melt, then add the smoked paprika and flour and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes. Whisk in 1 3/4 cups milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thick, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the manchego until melted.
• Scatter the gelatin over the remaining 1/4 cup milk in a bowl and set aside, 5 minutes. Whisk the gelatin mixture until smooth, then stir into the cheese mixture. Transfer to a shallow baking dish and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put some flour in a shallow bowl. Beat the eggs in another bowl and put the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture and form into a football shape. Dredge in the flour, then dip in the eggs and roll in the breadcrumbs. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make about 40 croquetas. Refrigerate until ready to fry.
• Heat about 2 inches of canola oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Working in batches, fry the croquetas until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with salt.

HAM CROQUETTES

Steps:

• Place melted butter and 2/3 cups flour in a heavy 2 quart saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk constantly. When the mixture turns into a thick paste, gradually whisk in the scaled milk. When the milk is consumed, gently stir parsley, green onion and ham into the butter, flour and milk mixture. Chill this mixture for several hours or overnight.
• Shape the filling into the size of a small thin kiwi. Dip croquettes into the flour and then into the egg mixture. Roll them in bread crumbs. Deep fry them at 400 degrees until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

HAM & CHEESE CROQUETAS

Steps:

• To make the croquetas, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and gently fry the onion for 3 mins or until lightly coloured. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 secs. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly, and cook over a low heat for 5 mins until thick and glossy. Stir in the ham, cheese, mustard and cream, and season to taste. Cook for 1 min more until the cheese melts, stirring constantly.
• Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool, then chill for 4 hrs or overnight - the mixture needs to be very stiff to form the croquetas. Take heaped teaspoons of the mixture and, with wet hands, roll into 24 small oval shapes and put on a tray. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, put the flour on a plate and half of the breadcrumbs in a bowl.
• Roll each of the croquetas lightly in flour, then in egg before coating in breadcrumbs. Place on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Use the remaining breadcrumbs to top up the bowl halfway through the coating process. Chill for 30 mins (or to freeze, see tip, below left).
• Meanwhile, make the tomato chilli jam. Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover loosely with a lit and cook for 50 mins - 1 hr, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy. Leave to cool before serving.
• Fill a large saucepan one-third full with the sunflower oil and heat to 180C (or heat the oil in an electric deep-fat fryer). Do not overheat and do not leave hot oil unattended. Using a metal slotted spoon, lower 6 croquets into the oil and cook for 1.5 mins or until golden brown. Transfer to a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil, and continue cooking the rest. Serve with the chilli jam for dipping.

GOLDEN HAM CROQUETTES

Steps:

• In a saucepan, melt butter; stir in curry powder and flour. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in mustard and onion; add ham and mix well. Cover and chill thoroughly. , With wet hands, shape mixture into 10 balls. Roll balls in bread crumbs; shape each into a cone. Whisk together egg and water. Dip cones into egg mixture; roll again in crumbs. , Heat oil in an electric skillet or a deep-fat fryer to 375°. Fry croquettes, a few at a time, until golden brown, 2 to 2-1/2 minutes. Drain on paper towels; keep warm. , For the cheese sauce, melt butter in a saucepan; stir in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Reduce heat. Add cheeses; stir until melted. Spoon over croquettes.