Chestnut and Chorizo Croquettes
Makes 16
Ingredients
– Olive oil
– 40g unsalted butter
– 2 medium leeks, finely chopped
– 3 sprigs of sage, leaves picked, finely sliced
– 140g soft chorizo, skin removed, meat crumbled
– 40g plain flour
– 400ml whole milk, warmed
– nutmeg, finely grated
– 40g parmesan, finely grated
– 150g vac-packed chestnuts, crumbled
– 600g vine-ripe tomatoes
– A splash of red wine vinegar
– 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
– 1.2 litres vegetable oil
– 2 sprigs of oregano
– 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
– 125g dried breadcrumbs
1. Add a splash of olive oil with the butter to a medium pan. Add the leek and cook for 8 minutes, until soft, adding the sage to the pan for the last couple of minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sizzle the chorizo in a separate frying pan over a medium heat until golden and crisp. Add to the softened leeks. Mix in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, before slowly adding the milk until you have a thick and creamy béchamel sauce. Season with a pinch of black pepper and a good grating of nutmeg.
3. Fold in the grated parmesan, crumbled chestnuts and crispy chorizo. Place in a bowl covered with cling film and put in the fridge to cool for a couple of hours.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high. Add the tomatoes, still on the vine, to a dry frying pan over a high heat and leave to char for 4 – 5 minutes.
5. Next, place the pan under the grill for another 5-6 minutes to soften some more. Remove the vine, pinch off the skins and discard. Mash the tomato flesh lightly with a fork, then add a splash of red wine vinegar.
6. In a little frying pan, cook the garlic and oregano in a glug of olive oil until golden and crisp. Stir this through the smashed tomatoes and then season the mixture to taste.
7. Meanwhile, place the beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in two separate shallow dishes. Dust your hands with flour and roll spoonfuls of the now cold chorizo mixture into croquettes – roughly the size of an elongated golf ball but you can make them larger if you like.
8. Toss the croquettes in the beaten egg, followed by the breadcrumbs. Repeat with all the mixture.
9. Add the vegetable oil to a medium saucepan over a medium heat, and leave it to get hot. When it has reached 180oC, place a few croquettes at a time into the hot oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, until crispy and golden. Repeat until all the croquettes are done.
Serve with a dollop of the tomato sauce on the side.
Source: Jamie Magazine – Issue 63
Recipe by Elspeth Meston
Photo by Gareth Morgans
