3 days ago
Potato, cheese and ham croquettes with herb mayonnaise
I've got such vivid memories of potato croquettes from when I was a kid – my dad used to buy the frozen ones as a treat. While the traditional version is just plain mashed potato, I like to add cheese and ham, as here, and sometimes slow-cooked venison to serve with a mixed grill – delicious.
Overview
Prep time
25 mins
Cook time
25 mins
Serves
4 (makes 12 large, or 24 small)
Ingredients
400-500g floury potatoes (such as Desiree, King Edward or Maris Piper), peeled and quartered
120g ham, finely chopped
180g cheddar, grated
½ tbsp English mustard
60g plain flour
2 medium eggs, beaten
80g fresh or panko breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil for deep frying
3 tbsp chopped fresh leafy herbs (I used chives, chervil, tarragon)
6 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
Method
Step
Cook the 400-500g floury potatoes in a large pan of salted boiling water for about 10 minutes or until just soft. Drain and return to the pan over a low heat for about 30 seconds to dry out. Remove from the heat.
Step
Mash the potato, preferably with a potato ricer but a traditional masher will do. Mix in the 120g ham (finely chopped), 180g grated cheese and ½ tbsp mustard and season.
Step
Mould the potato mix into about 12 equal balls – or more if you want smaller croquettes. Then roll into uniformly sized cylinder croquettes. Have 3 containers or bowls ready.
Step
Put the 60g plain flour into one bowl, the 2 beaten medium eggs into another and the 80g fresh or panko breadcrumbs into the third container. Coat the croquettes carefully in the flour, shaking off any excess, then dip into the egg and finally roll in the breadcrumbs, re-shaping them if necessary.
Step
Meanwhile, preheat about 8cm of oil to 160-180C in a deep-fat fryer or a heavy-based pan. In a bowl, mix the 3 tbsp chopped fresh leafy herbs with the 6 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise and leave in the fridge.
Step
When the oil has reached the right temperature, carefully submerge the croquettes in the hot oil and fry for about 2-3 minutes until golden. You'll need to do this in batches, depending on how big your croquettes are and the size of your pan or fryer.
