Authentic Cuban Croquetas de Jamón

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Chop 1 lb of uncured ham in a food processor.
  2. 2Melt butter in a pan on medium heat.
  3. 3Sauté chopped onion and garlic in the melted butter until fragrant.
  4. 4Add flour to the pan and mix to create a roux.
  5. 5Slowly incorporate milk while whisking until you have a smooth paste.
  6. 6Add seasonings (salt, pepper, nutmeg) and cooking wine to the paste.
  7. 7Add the minced ham to the béchamel and mix until well combined.
  8. 8Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley into the mixture and incorporate.
  9. 9Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge overnight or at least 3 hours.
  10. 10Oil your hands, grab a scoop of the mixture, and form it into small logs.
  11. 11Place the formed croquetas on a baking sheet and freeze them until they are slightly hardened.
  12. 12Dip each croqueta first into flour, then into beaten egg, and finally into seasoned breadcrumbs.
  13. 13Freeze the breaded croquetas again until firm.
  14. 14Air fry or deep fry the croquetas until golden brown and crispy.
  15. 15Serve the croquetas with lime wedges.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb uncured ham
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup flour
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 tbsp dry cooking wine
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp parsley
  • lime wedges

Equipment

food processormixing bowlspatulapanwhisktongsbaking sheetdeep fryer

Tips

  • Let the ham mixture sit in the fridge overnight or at least 3 hours.
  • Give the formed croquetas a quick freeze until they are slightly hardened before breading.
  • Freeze the breaded croquetas until firm again before frying.