They might be the ultimate comfort food – although tortilla española comes a close second – and are served in tapas bars and restaurants throughout Spain, but there’s also something deeply satisfying about making croquetas from scratch at home, and this recipe for croquetas de chorizo is really easy. Just make sure you chill the mix properly before trying to roll them.
INGREDIENTS
50g butter
50g plain flour (although self raising if fine if it’s all you’ve got in the cupboard)
1 small onion, finely chopped
100g chorizo (half a supermarket chorizo ring), finely chopped
450ml milk (semi or full fat is best)
1 tsp sweet paprika
Pinch salt
Pinch black pepper
75g breadcrumbs (I quite like using Panko breadcrumbs)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Sunflower oil for deep frying
Makes 16-18
METHOD
1. In a small frying pan, slowly cook the chorizo on a low heat until slightly crispy on the outside. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes. Turn the heat up and tip in the flour and paprika. Beat to combine and cook the flour for a minute or two.
2. Turn down the heat to medium and bit by bit, add the milk and whisk to combine. Don’t stop whisking until a smooth béchamel has formed. Tip in the chorizo and season with salt and pepper. Mix together and let it bubble to thicken up. It should turn a lovely orange colour.
3. Line a baking sheet with baking paper and tip the mixture in, flattening it out with a spatula. Cover with cling film making sure it touches the surface. Chill in the fridge for several hours until it has become firm, a bit like jelly.
4. Take it out of the fridge, remove the cling film and flip it onto a chopping board dusted with flour. Remove the baking paper (it should come off easily) and dust the top with flour. Prepare three bowls, one with flour, the beaten egg, and the third with breadcrumbs.
5. Cut the jelly-like mix into squares (4cmx4cm). Cover your hands with flour and make balls with each square of mix using the palms of your hands.
6. Dip each ball in flour, then egg, then roll it in the breadcrumbs. Place back on the baking sheet. You can chill them again now until you’re ready to eat, or freeze them in a container to use again.
7. When you’re ready to eat them, heat the oil in a deep saucepan on a medium-high heat until a piece of bread dropped in turns to a crouton. In batches, carefully lower the croquetas into the hot oil and cook for around 2 minutes, making sure the outside is golden. You’ll know if they’re in there too long as the filling will start to leak out.
8. Remove with a slotted spoon and dab with kitchen roll to remove any excess oil. Eat while warm and the filling gooey.
You can of course substitute the chorizo for plenty of other fillings and flavours. Jamón croquetas are a favourite and the variety you probably see most often. I remember having them on a balmy evening in the Mercado de San Miguel in Madrid with an ice cold glass of fino sherry and thinking things couldn’t get any better. If you’re going to use jamón, you can crisp it up in the pan with the onion, and replace the paprika (pimentón) with nutmeg.
My good friend José still makes the most delicious version using bacalao (salt cod) and often when I go to stay in Gran Canaria, he’ll make them them the morning I’m due to arrive so we can have them that evening. If you do try these, simply flake the cod in once you’ve made the béchamel.
Other great varieties are blue cheese or goat’s cheese with leek, which are not dissimilar to a traditional Welsh Glamorgan sausage. Whichever you choose to make, let me know how you get on using #RecipesByRoss.
