Croquetas de pescado



 A croquette is a small  bread crumbed fried food  roll  containing, usually as main ingredients,  mashed potatoes and/or  ground meat (veal, beef, chicken, or turkey), shellfish, fish ,cheese , vegetables  and mixed with bechamel  or brown sauce, and soaked white bread , egg , onion , spices and herbs, winw , milk , beer  or any of the combination thereof, sometimes with a filling, e.g. sautéed onions or mushrooms, boiled eggs (Scotch eggs). The croquette is usually shaped into a cylinder, disk or oval shape and then deep fried.

Ingredients

 * 1) 100 g butter


 * 1) 1/2 c finely chopped onion


 * 1) 2 cloves garlic


 * 1) 3/4 c flour


 * 1) 2 1/2 c milk


 * 1) 1/2 t paprika


 * 1) 1/4 t fresh grated nutmeg


 * 1) 1 t dry parsley


 * 1) olive oil


 * 1) 6 oz fish (300g)


 * 1) salt and pepper to taste


 * 1) Bread crumbs


 * 1) Flour to coat


 * 1) 1 beaten egg

Directions

 * If you're using salt cod, simmer water for 5 minutes. Drain. Cool. Flake. The smoked fish, just chop or flake. Set aside.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:20.796875px;">Mince the onion and garlic. Sautee until soft in some oil. Add the butter in chunks. When melted. Sprinkle in the flour while mixing. It will turn into a paste fast. It's okay. Cook for a few minutes. Brown if you have time.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:20.796875px;">Pour the milk in 1/2 cup at a time. Whisk until smooth. Turn up the heat a bit if your milk is cold. Add the spices. Whisk until it thickens. You're looking for brownie batter consistency.... i.e. thicker than pancake batter but thinner than bread dough.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:20.796875px;">Add the fish. Mix. I poured it all into a bowl at this stage to quicken the cooling. Set aside. You can cover if you want. I'm not going to let it sit that long.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:20.796875px;">With two spoons, form egg shapes or rugby ball shapes. drop in flour to LIGHTLY coat. Drop in beaten egg and dredge in bread crumbs. Set aside. When you're down cool the lot in the fridge until you're ready to fry. I made my own breadcrumbs by toasting 3 slices of bread and quickly blitzing in a food processor. 3 slices was perfect.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:20.796875px;">This made about 16 tT sized croquetas. NEXT time I will use less milk - bechamel so the fish to filling ratio is higher and makes less croquettes. Oh well, cook and learn.


 * <span style="color:rgb(51,51,51);font-family:Georgia,serif;line-height:20.796875px;">Fry in some shallow oil on medium high. Don't crowd the pan if you've left them in the fridge. The cold with lower the temperature of the oil. I did 4 at a time.