Ham croquetas

Ingredients

Quantities for 4 servings.

• 150 g Serrano ham, finely diced
• 60 g Butter
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 0.5 piece Onion, very finely chopped
• 100 g Plain flour
• 700 ml Milk, warm
• 1 pinch Nutmeg
• 2 piece Eggs for coating
• 150 g Breadcrumbs
• 700 ml Oil for frying
• to taste Salt

Method

1. Melt the butter with the olive oil, soften the onion until translucent, add the ham and warm it for a minute so the fat renders into the pan.
2. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for four or five minutes, until it smells nutty and just begins to colour.
3. Add the warm milk a ladle at a time, stirring smooth before the next goes in. Cook for ten minutes more, until the mixture pulls away from the sides.
4. Season with nutmeg and salt, spread into a dish two centimetres deep, press cling film onto the surface and chill for at least four hours.
5. Shape cylinders with wet hands and coat in egg then breadcrumbs. For a sturdier shell, do the coating twice.
6. Deep-fry at 180 °C for two minutes in small batches. A crowded pan drops the temperature and the croquetas drink oil instead of crisping.