Croquetas de Jamón (Cuban Ham Croquettes)
Cuban ham croquettes with a creamy center and a crisp cracker crust. Serve them hot with saltines.
Recipe in testing: I'm cooking it in my TM7™ and will update the steps and the photo with my own.
Croquetas de jamón are the snack of every Cuban bakery and ventanita: little cylinders with a crisp, golden crust and a creamy ham center, usually eaten hot with saltine crackers on the side. At a party they go fast, so it is worth making a big batch and freezing some for later.
The Thermomix® TM7™ takes care of the parts that need patience. It grinds the crackers into crumbs, chops the ham and cooks a very thick béchamel with no lumps and no tired arm from stirring. After a few hours in the fridge, the mixture is firm enough to shape, and the croquetas fry in a pot on the stove.
Made in the Thermomix® TM7™
Croquetas de Jamón (Cuban Ham Croquettes)
Makes: About 30 croquetas
- Prep45 min
- Cook30 min
- Total5 h 30 min
- Serves10
Ingredients
For the croqueta mixture
For the coating
To fry and serve
Instructions
- Place the crackers in the mixing bowl, grind 10 sec/speed 9 and pour the crumbs into a shallow dish.
- Place the ham in the mixing bowl, chop 4 sec/speed 5 into small pieces and set it aside.
- Place the onion in the mixing bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 5. Add the butter and sauté 3 min/120°C (250°F)/speed 1.
- Add the milk, flour, nutmeg and pepper and cook 8 min/90°C (195°F)/speed 4, until very thick.
- Add the ham and the sherry and cook 3 min/90°C (195°F)/reverse/speed 2. Taste and add salt only if it needs it. Spread the mixture in a shallow dish, cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight, until firm.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl. With slightly damp hands, roll portions of 30 g (about 2 tbsp) into cylinders about 6 cm (2 1/2 in) long.
- Dip each croqueta in the egg and roll it in the cracker crumbs, then repeat for a second coat. Refrigerate them for 15 minutes so the coating sets.
- Heat 5 cm (2 in) of oil in a deep pot on the stove to 180°C (360°F). Fry the croquetas in batches of 6 for 2 to 3 minutes, turning them, until deep golden, and drain them on paper towels.
- Serve hot, with saltine crackers on the side.
Tips
- The mixture must be cold and firm to shape. If it still feels soft, give it another hour in the fridge.
- Freeze them breaded and uncooked, first on a tray and then in a freezer bag, up to 3 months. Fry them straight from the freezer at 175°C (350°F) for 4 to 5 minutes.
- No saltines? Use 120 g (1 cup) of plain fine breadcrumbs for the coating.
- The double coat of egg and crumbs keeps the creamy center from leaking into the oil, so do not skip it.
