One of my favorite Cuban snacks is croquetas...not sure why I don't make them more often, since they're so easy to do!
Although originally from France, croquettes were soon adapted to Spanish Cuisine and became croquetas...In Spain they're seen most often being served in Tapas Bars, but you can also find them as appetizers in many restaurants. The fun part is that they're so adaptable and can be made with just about any ingredient...croquetas de bacalao (codfish), de pollo (chicken), de jamón (ham), de queso (cheese) and anything else you might fancy...
The traditional croqueta is a small tube shaped roll, but it can also be round, like a small Sweedish meat ball...regardless of the shape, they are a delicious treat!
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a small roll of chopped vegetables, meat, or fish, fried in breadcrumbs.
CROQUETAS
For the croquetas:
4 Tablespoons butter
1 medium finely chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk (more or less) at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
1 cup (more or less) dry bread crumbs
1 Tablespoon dry sherry
4 cups (about 1 pound) (cooked) ground chicken or ham
Salt and black pepper to taste
Coating:
2 eggs beaten with 1 Tablespoon water
1 cup dry cracker meal mixed with 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil for frying
In a large skillet, melt butter and sauté onions until translucent. Add flour whisking rapidly, to make a roux (you can add more butter if needed) Whisk in milk, a little at a time, while stirring to incorporate fully.
Mix ground nutmeg, parsley and the bread crumb-flour combination and add to the roux. Add and mix in the sherry, then the ground ham or chicken; season to taste.
Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.
To make the croquetas, moisten your hands, take small amounts of the mix and roll into small balls or little tube-like rolls. Dip into the egg mix and then the seasoned cracker meal.
At this point, they can be fried or frozen to cook later.
To fry, put about an inch of oil in pan and fry as many at a time as will fit without crowding. Drain and serve hot or at room temperature.
