Croquetas de Jamón with Roasted Garlic Aioli (Cheesy Spanish Croquetas)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Starters
Description
Croquetas are a classic Spanish tapas-style dish, these deep-fried bundles of cheese and ham are party favourites!
Ingredients
Aioli
3 whole garlic bulbs
3 eggs, 1 whole and 2 egg yolks
1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 C (250 ml) olive oil
Pinch of paprika
Croquetas
100 g butter
½ onion, coarsely grated
120 g cooked ham, chopped
100 g prosciutto or Serrano ham, chopped
100 g flour
3 C (750 ml) full cream milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
1 litre oil, for frying
1½ C (375 ml) fine breadcrumbs
2-3 eggs, lightly beaten
Instructions
Aioli
Preheat the oven to 180 ºC.
Place the whole garlic bulbs into the oven and roast for 30 minutes until the garlic is soft. Allow the bulbs to cool slightly and then squeeze the roasted flesh out of the cloves. Push the flesh through a sieve to get rid of any stringy bits.
Place the whole egg, the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper and mashed garlic into a food processor and whizz for 1 minute. While the motor is running, slowly add the olive oil until completely emulsified. The aioli should be thick and pale in colour.
Croquetas
Melt the butter in a large pan; add the grated onion and the cooked ham, as well as the prosciutto or Serrano ham and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour, stir with a wooden spoon and cook for a minute. Pour the milk in slowly, letting it be absorbed before adding more, stirring all the time. Season with salt and pepper and add the nutmeg. Cook the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time.
Pour the mixture into a bowl and refrigerate for a few hours – it needs to solidify in order to be shaped.
Preheat the oil to frying temperature.
Use a spoon to portion the croquettes, and then shape into balls/oblong shapes.
Roll in breadcrumbs, then dip in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs again.
Fry the croquettes in the hot oil until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a sheet of kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
Serve warm with roasted garlic aioli.
