Ham hock and pea croquettes
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + chilling
- A little effort
- Makes 40
Ingredients
- 75g butter
- 75g plain flour
- 500ml whole milk
- 75g mature cheddar, grated
- 200g cooked ham hock, shredded into chunks
- 100g frozen peas, defrosted
- a handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 150g dried breadcrumbs
- for deep frying groundnut oil
- to serve English mustard
Method
- STEP 1
Melt the butter in a pan and then stir in the flour to make a thick paste. Gradually stir in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer over a low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until melted, then add the ham, peas and parsley, and season.
- STEP 2
Scoop into a tray or dish, cool, then chill completely in the fridge. (This can take 2-3 hours, or you could make it the day before.) Scoop out large tablespoons of the mix and roll each into small logs, around 5cm long and 2cm thick.
- STEP 3
Put the beaten egg on one plate and breadcrumbs on another. Roll the croquettes in the egg then the crumbs. Repeat so you have two layers of egg and breadcrumbs.
- STEP 4
Fill a pan no more than 1/3 full with oil and heat to 180C (or until a cube of bread browns in around 30 seconds), then deep fry the croquettes in batches for 3-4 minutes until crisp and golden. Scoop out and drain on kitchen paper (you can keep the cooked croquettes warm in a very low oven). Serve with English mustard.