Croquettes with Serrano Ham: the delicious recipe you need

These bechamel sauce-based treats are soft on the inside, and crunchy on the outside. You need to make the croquettes the day before you want to eat them, as the bechamel and ham mix needs to cool down completely so you can shape them into croquettes.

These croquettes would be ideal for a party, as you make the mix a day ahead and keep it in the fridge until you breadcrumb and fry them, which only takes a few minutes.

Serve them with mayo mixed with Spanish or smoked paprika on the side.

Instructions

Put the chopped serrano ham and the milk in a saucepan and cook it for 15 minutes.

When ready, drain the ham and keep it aside.  Use the ham infused milk to make your croquettes.

Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in the extra virgin olive oil until soft and translucent.

Add the butter and once it’s melted, add the flour and stir well.

Then add the milk little by little and stir until well combined.

Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn’t burn. This is what the mixture should look like after 10 minutes once thickened:

Add the reserved Serrano ham and nutmeg, mix well.

Let it cool down and keep it in the fridge overnight.

The next day, shape the croquettes.

Coat them with flour, roll them into the beaten eggs and then coat them with breadcrumbs.

Deep fry the croquettes in hot vegetable oil until golden brown, drain and put them on kitchen paper to remove the excess oil.

Serve warm with some mayo mixed with Spanish paprika on the side.

Notes

If you don’t have Serrano ham, you could use a different type instead, but it will give the finished croquettes a different flavor.

Be careful not to splash the egg mixture into the breadcrumb dish, as they will go soggy and not stick to the croquettes.