22 - CHICKEN AND SERRANO HAM CROQUETTES (CROQUETAS DE POLLO Y JAMON SERRANO)

A Croquette is a small breadcrumbed deep-fried oval or cylinder shaped dough containing, usually as main ingredients, Mashed Potatoes, Ground Meat (Chicken and/or Serrano Ham), fish (unsalted Cod and/or Prawns), cheese, vegetables (Leek, Mushrooms, Onions) or any combination thereof and mixed with Béchamel. The origin of Croquettes is France although long time ago became very popular in Spain, where is served as a garnish, main dish or tapa.

The typical Spanish Croquette (Croqueta) is specially filled with chopped Spanish Ham (Jamon Serrano), Chicken or Cod mixed with Bechamel.  

INGREDIENTS for 2 people:

- 400 grams of Chicken Breast.

- 50 grams of Spanish Ham Slices.

- 2 Leeks.

- 2 Glasses of Milk.

- 1/2 litre of Sunflower Oil (to fry the Croquettes)

- 75 mls of Olive Oil. 

- 75 grams of Flour.

- 2 Eggs

- Breadcrumbs

- Salt and Pepper.

STEP 1 - Get the Chicken Breast washed and ready to be boiled in Water with some Salt.

STEP 2 - Fill a pan till half volume of Water and add 1 teaspoon of Salt.

STEP 3 - Add the Chicken Breast boil it for about 7-8 minutes.

STEP 4 - Once the Chicken is cooked...

STEP 5 - ...then chop it into small pieces.

STEP 6 - Now, get the 50 grams of Jamon Serrano slices ready.

STEP 7 - Make a roll with them...

STEP 8 - ...and with a sharp knife cut the Ham rolls into 1 cms wide slices and then cut the slices into halves.

STEP 9 - Now get the 2 Leeks clean and ready to be chopped.

STEP 10 - Chop the Leeks into small pieces as shown on the picture.

STEP 11 - Get a big pan ready and...

STEP 12 - Add the 75 mls of Olive Oil.

STEP 13 - Add the chopped Leek and stir fry it for about 5 minutes.

STEP 14 - Then add the Spanish Ham and continue frying for extra 2 minutes.

STEP 15 - Bring the stove to medium heat, add the chopped Chicken, mix very well and allow extra 5 minutes cooking.

STEP 16 - Then add the 75 grams of Flour and mix very well again.

STEP 17 - Add the two glasses of Milk, mix and let the mixture simmering for 5 minutes...

STEP 18 - ...till the mixture acquires a rather thick consistence, then add Salt and Pepper to your own taste.

STEP 19 - In a square shaped recipient...

STEP 20 -...add the Bechamel and place it into the fridge for 1 hour or so.

STEP 21 - After the Bechamel mixture has been  allowed to cool down in the fridge it should become a semisolid dough that is taken out of the recipient by turning it over upside down.

STEP 22 - Then cut the doug into small rectangle portions that can be taken easily to be shaped into a Croquette shape, rolling it between your hands.

STEP 23 & 24 - Then bathe them in beaten Eggs and cover with Breadcrums generously provided...

STEP 24 - If you make too many Croquettes you can kept them in the freezer for long time before are fried when needed.

STEP 25 - In a deep pan add the 1/2 litre of Sunflower Oil and set the stove to high heat.

STEP 26 & 27 - Fry the Croquettes for about 1 minute till golden (no more than 2 or 3 Croquettes at same time) in abundant and very hot Oil (Croquettes must "swim" in it) to form a thin layer of waterproof around it so that no Oil will go inside but the outside will become golden and crispy.

STEP 27

You can prepare Croquettes and Salad as shown on the pictures.