MenuMenu

  1. Home
  2. saturday kitchen recipe
  3. Crab and paprika croquettes with English pea and spring onion salad

Crab and paprika croquettes with English pea and spring onion salad

 

Preparation time
less than 30 mins

Cooking time
1 to 2 hours

Serves
Makes 12

By Sally Abé
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the croquettes

  • 1 large King Edwards potato
  • 25g/1oz plain flour
  • 25g/1oz unsalted butter
  • 350ml/10fl oz full-fat milk
  • 1 tsp ground smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp ground hot paprika
  • 100g/3½oz gruyère, grated
  • 200g/7oz cooked white crabmeat
  • 100g/3½oz cooked brown crabmeat
  • ½ bunch chives, finely chopped
  • 100g/3½oz plain flour
  • 100g/3½oz Japanese Panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • oil, for deep-frying
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

  • 100g/3½oz shelled peas
  • 3 spring onions, finely sliced
  • 1 Little Gem lettuce, sliced
  • ½ bunch chervil, leaves only
  • ½ bunch dill, leaves only

For the dressing

  • 100ml/3½fl oz extra virgin olive oil
  • 25ml/1fl oz white wine vinegar
  • 25ml/1fl oz elderflower cordial
  • lemon wedges, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

  2. To make the croquettes, prick the potato all over with a fork. Sprinkle salt over a baking tray and put the potato on top. Bake for about 1 hour, or until tender.

  3. Make a roux by heating the flour and butter in a pan until a biscuit-like aroma is released. Pour in 250ml/9fl oz of the milk gradually, stirring with each addition. Keep cooking and stirring until all the 250ml/9fl oz milk is absorbed to make a white sauce. Season with salt, pepper and both types of paprika. Add the grated cheese and stir together.

  4. Transfer the cheese sauce to a tray and leave to cool slightly, then mix the two types of crabmeat and the chives into the sauce. Using clean hands, roll the mixture into 30g/1oz balls and place in the freezer for 15 minutes to semi-freeze.

  5. Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 180C (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

  6. Prepare a plate of flour, another of breadcrumbs and a shallow dish with the beaten eggs mixed with the remaining 100ml/3½fl oz milk.

  7. Panne the croquettes by rolling them first in the flour, then the egg and milk mixture and then the breadcrumbs. Deep fry for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and piping hot. Carefully remove from the fryer and drain on kitchen paper.

  8. To make the salad, prepare a bowl of ice cold water. Add the peas to a pan of boiling salted water. Cook for 1½ –2 minutes, then drain and quickly transfer to the bowl of cold water. Drain again. Mix the peas with the remaining salad Ingredients together in a bowl.

  9. To make the dressing, combine all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

  10. To serve, drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss together. Divide among four plates. Place 3 croquettes on each plate and serve with the lemon wedges on the side.

scroll to top