Thursday, July 16, 2015

Ham and Corn Croquettes


I don’t make this often but sometimes I do crave for it. I prefer Croquettes made from béchamel sauce rather than potatoes. I like the soft, creamy and buttery interior that oozes out of the crispy breadcrumbs when bite into it. The mixture is quite soft to handle, so it is better than you let it cool down really well in the fridge before handling it. These savory patties are good as an appetizer and you can mix anything in it into the béchamel base.




Ingredients:

1 medium onion –finely chopped
3 slices of ham – cut into small cubes
½ cup of corn kernels
2 tbsp chopped parsley
4 tbsp butter
1 ½ cups of whole milk
¾ cups flour
Salt and pepper to taste

For coating:

1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg + 2 tbsp water – beaten
Some flour for dusting


1. Heat up a medium size saucepan and add in the butter. Once the butter melts, add in the onion. Sauté until translucent and very lightly brown.
2. Add in the milk and bring it up to a simmer. Add in salt and pepper. Add in the flour, stirring constantly until the mixture is creamy and not too sticky to touch. It will take about 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, and add in the ham, corn and parsley. Mix really well.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours until chilled. (This will make forming the croquettes easier.)
5. Dust your hands with some flour, form croquettes into 2- to 2 1/2-inch (5- to 6.25-cm) long cylinders about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Lightly roll in flour.
6. Break the eggs in a bowl and thoroughly whisk. Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl.
7. Dip the croquettes in the egg and roll in breadcrumbs to completely cover.
8. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat at least 3/4 inch/2 cm of sunflower oil or vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low
9. Fry the croquettes in small batches. Do not crown the pan. Turning frequently until they are golden brown.
10. Gently ransfer them to paper towels to drain off excess oil. Serve hot.

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