Cheese and Beef Croquettes
Croquettes are a little fiddly to make but they are sinfully delicious. There are myriad ways to make them and this is surprisingly easy. It’s little time-consuming but well worth the effort. Serve these hot with a fresh tomato sauce.
This recipe is also a part of our Beef Recipe Collection.
Ingredients
Method
- 200g Prime Beef Mince
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- salt and pepper to season
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
- 4 large floury potatoes, such as Agria, cut into 3cm cubes
- 1/4 cup cream or milk
- salt and pepper to season
- 1/4 cup grated cheese e.g. Mozzarella, parmesan, blue cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (we made from toast)
- olive oil or vegetable oil for deep frying
- Heat a splash of olive oil in a frypan and brown the mince and the garlic. Add the tomato paste and capers and stir through to combine well. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. You need quite a dry mixture.
- Toss the potatoes into a large cold pan of salted water and bring to the boil. As soon as you are able to slide a knife easily into the potatoes they are done. Drain and roughly mash potatoes before adding the cream and cheese. Then whip the mixture together in a food processor or with hand-held blender until they are glossy and elastic.
- Pour the potato mixture into a greased sponge tray or spread thickly over a greased baking tray and chill for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
- To make up croquettes: have your egg and breadcrumbs ready in separate bowls. Wet your hands and take a tablespoon of the chilled potato mixture, form a ball, and then flatten with the palm of your hand. Dot a small teaspoon of the mince mixture into the centre of the potato, and cover to form an oval croquette.
- Dip each croquette in the beaten egg, roll in the breadcrumbs, dip again in the egg mix and then again in the crumbs. Set aside until you are ready to cook.
- In a large saucepan heat your vegetable oil – you should have a depth in the pan of at least 7 to 8 cm. The oil will be hot enough when you drop a tiny piece of spare mixture into the pan and it hisses immediately. Drop the croquettes into the oil a couple at a time. They will take only 1 to 2 minutes to go a golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon, and then drain and keep warm until you have completed them all. Serve with an aioli dip.
Tips:
- Have an airfryer? Place the croquettes on a baking sheet in a single layer, freeze for 10 minutes and then cook them in your air fryer for 8-10 minutes at 200°C. They will be golden brown, crispy, and just as tasty!
FAQs:
- How long do croquettes last?
Once cooked, leftover croquettes will last in the fridge for up to three days. You can reheat them in a hot oven (170°C) for about 10-15 minutes.
- Why are my croquettes soggy?
Oftentimes, this means that the oil was not hot enough when you dropped in your croquette. Be sure to test a small piece in the oil before beginning and make sure it hisses immediately.