Served as a tapa in most restaurants and cafeterias in Spain, Croquetas, are a humble Spanish food originally made from anything left over in the kitchen. Now, a crowd favorite, these little tapas please even the smallest little taste buds.
Note to parents: There is about 30-60 minute break where the croquette needs to firm in a freezer or refrigerator. Keep the kiddos busy working on a different tapa or leave them in the fridge overnight and continue the next day. And please take extra caution frying. It is labeled a parent task for a reason.
Heat milk up and set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour slowly and cook stirring constantly until well blended but not burned (about 2 minutes). Gradually stir in the milk whisking constantly until the sauce has thickened. Add Dijon, cubed ham, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and spread evenly. It should be the consistency of soft play dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
While mixture is cooling, place 1 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. When mixture is ready, it should roll into balls fairly easily. Roll 1inch balls of mixture. Cover with flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs.
Add oil to a large frying pan. Heat over medium-high or 360 degrees. Add the croquettes one at a time. Give each one room enough to swim without hitting any other. Cook for two minutes per side or a nice golden brown. Remove and drain on paper. Serve immediately.
PARENT PREP: because someone has to do the dirty work
KIDTASTIC! Tasks for the kiddos
PARENT TASK: Keeping kids out of the hospital one task at a time
TEAM EFFORT: Working together to get it done
PARENT CHEAT: I have a million things to do and cooking isn’t one
**Every child is different when it comes to what they can do in the kitchen. The “kidtastic!” And “Parent tasks” are only suggestions when it comes to dividing up jobs. Always supervise your child in the kitchen and go at their pace. ALWAYS supervise your children in the kitchen. Better safe than sorry***
Parent Prep: Dice Ham
Parent Cheat: Buy diced ham
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Ham Croquettes (Croquetas de jamon)
Ingredients
- 1 cup ham cubed
- 3 tablespoon butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour plus a little more for dusting
- 1½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- pinch nutmeg
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 eggs well beaten at room temperature
- 1 cup dried bread crumbs
- canola oil for frying
Instructions
- Parent task: Heat milk up and set aside.
- Team Task: Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour slowly and cook stirring constantly until well blended but not burned (about 2 minutes).
- Team Task: Gradually stir in the milk whisking constantly until the sauce has thickened.
- Kidtastic!: Add Dijon, cubed ham, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Kidtastic! Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and spread evenly. It should be the consistency of soft play dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
- Kidtastic!: While mixture is cooling, place 1 cup flour, 2 beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.
- Team Task: When mixture is ready, it should roll into balls fairly easily. Roll 1inch balls of mixture. Cover with flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs.
- Parent Task: Add oil to a large frying pan. Heat over medium-high or 360 degrees.
- Parent Task: Add the croquettes one at a time. Give each one room enough to swim without hitting any other. Cook for two minutes per side or a nice golden brown. Remove and drain on paper. Serve immediately.
