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Croquettes with aïoli

Preparation time
over 2 hours

Cooking time
10 to 30 mins

Serves
Serves 4

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the béchamel base

  • 400ml/14fl oz full-fat milk
  • 100ml/3½fl oz chicken stock
  • 80g/2¾oz unsalted butter
  • 75g/2¾oz plain flour
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the croquettes

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
  • pinch mace
  • 200g/7oz peeled brown shrimp
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • pinch grated nutmeg
  • 50g/1¾oz Manchego cheese, grated
  • 200g/7oz ‘nduja
  • 150g/5½oz plain flour
  • 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • 150g/5½oz panko breadcrumbs

For the aïoli

  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 free-range egg yolks
  • 1 lemon, juice only
  • 150ml/3½fl oz olive oil
  • 1 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
  • pinch smoked paprika

Method

  1. To make the béchamel, heat the milk and chicken stock together in a saucepan. Melt the butter in a frying pan and whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste. Gradually pour in the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

  2. Fry the finely chopped shallots in the olive oil over a medium heat until softened and gently caramelised.

  3. Divide the béchamel mixture between two bowls. Stir the mace, shrimp, fried shallots, cayenne and nutmeg into one bowl and the Manchego cheese and ‘nduja into the other bowl. Spread the mixture into two baking trays, cover and chill in the fridge for a few hours until the mixtures are firm enough to shape into croquettes.

  4. To make the aïoli, blitz the garlic, egg yolks and lemon juice together in a food processor. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil to thicken, making sure each drop of oil has been incorporated before adding more. You may not need all the olive oil. Divide between two small bowls and stir the tarragon into one bowl and the smoked paprika into the other bowl.

  5. Preheat a deep fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Scoop out the mixture from the trays and shape into small log shapes. Place the flour, egg and breadcrumbs into separate wide bowls and dip the logs into each bowl in turn to coat them in breadcrumbs. Deep fry for a few minutes until golden then carefully transfer to kitchen paper to drain.

  6. Serve the two croquettes hot alongside the two bowls of aïoli.

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