Cured ham and Brie cheese croquettes

Today we propose a recipe that requires some work and preparation, especially for the bechamel. But don’t alarm, the result is superb: Spanish Cured Ham and Briecheese croquettes.

Ingredients:

• SpanishCured Ham from Teruel by Antonio Mata
• Brie cheese
• 1 egg
• Breadcrumbs
• Flour
• Milk
• Butter
• ExtraVirgin Olive Oil

Preparation:

We take a stream of Olive Oil and two dices of butter in a terracotta casserole and wait to melt. Cut the Spanish Cured Ham into small pieces or chunks and add to the casserole. Tip: Cured Ham is fried very quickly, so have it half or a minute.

Add 3 or 4 tablespoon of flour and stir for binding with butter. Then we pouring milk slowly, don’t stop to stir, this is very important. Also add the diced Brie and continue stirring until dissolve them. Add salt. The bechamel has to be quite thick. Let cool in the fridge.

When mix is hard, we shape the croquettes. Cover them with egg and breadcrumbs and fry in a pan with abundant hot olive oil.

And that’s it, now I am enjoying this delicacy. Feel sure that will repeat this recipe, because will love it at home, especially because of the Spanish Cured Ham that will give a special flavor.

Tapa recipe: Spanish Jamon Croquettes

Ingredients

• - 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• - 100 gr flour
• - 8 tbsp olive oil
• - 350 ml milk
• - 1/2 cup very finelyhand-minced Spanish Serrano jamon
• - dash of ground pepper
• - 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• - 2 eggs, lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water
• - breadcrumbs for coating

Steps

Note that this recipe is for 6 croquetas de jamon, as an appetizer or tapa. Croquettes, of jamon, cheese, cod or chicken are a quite common in Spanish bars.

Heat the 8 Tbsp olive oil in a small pan on medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 3 minutes. Add the milk and the chicken broth gradually. Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is thickened and smooth. All these steps, stirring constantly.

Then, add the minced Serrano jamon. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat, continuing to stir, and remove from heat.

Allow to cool for 10 minutes and refrigerate by 3 hours until mixture is cold. Scatter the breadcrumbs into a wide bowl. And beat the eggs with water in another one. Cover your hands in flour, then divide the mixture into 1-inch balls and set on a plate.

Pour the olive oil in a frying medium pan and heat it (really hot). Then dip the croquettes in the beaten egg and coat with crumbs by rolling in bowl. Place the croquettes in the hot oil and fry quickly, turning all the time. When golden (be sure not to overcook them), remove the croquettes and set them in a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

The best ham or Jamon you can use for this recipe, because of its fantastic features, is the Ham from Teruel PDO by the EU authorities.