Ham Croquetas

Ingredients

• 4 tbspextra virgin olive oil, for the filling; plus extra for hands when rolling
• 1/2leek, finely chopped
• 2 1/2 ozjamón ibérico, finely chopped
• 1/2 cupall-purpose flour, for the béchamel filling
• 1/3 cupvegetable stock
• 1 1/3 cupsmilk
• nutmeg, a few scrapes, freshly grated
• 2/3 cupall-purpose flour, for coating
• 2eggs, large, beaten, for coating
• 2/3 cupbreadcrumbs, for coating
• sunflower oil, for deep or shallow frying

Method

1. 1

   Heat the olive oil in a pan until it shimmers and cook the finely chopped leek until soft but not colored.

2. 2

   Stir the chopped jamón in and fry it for a minute, then add the 60 g of flour and fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring, until the roux turns golden without catching.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, warm the stock and milk together in a small pan until steaming but not boiling, and grate a little nutmeg in.

4. 4

   Add the warm liquid to the roux a few tablespoons at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for each addition to be absorbed before the next.

5. 5

   Once it is all in, keep cooking over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the filling is thick enough to pull away from the sides of the pan in one mass. It has to be this thick, or the croquetas will spread into pancakes in the oil.

6. 6

   Season with black pepper and taste before adding any salt — jamón is salty enough that it often needs none.

7. 7

   Smooth the mixture into a 30 × 20 cm tray. Once it has stopped steaming, cover it with plastic wrap so it does not dry out, and chill it for at least an hour.

8. 8

   Line up three bowls: the coating flour, the beaten egg and the breadcrumbs. Rub a little olive oil onto your hands.

9. 9

   Roll spoonfuls of the chilled filling into walnut-sized balls, then dust each in flour, dip it in egg and roll it in breadcrumbs. Lay them on a tray and chill for 30 minutes.

10. 10

    Heat the oil to 350°F in a deep fryer, or until it shimmers in a deep heavy pan, and fry 5–6 at a time until golden all over. Drain them on paper towels and eat them straight away.