A CHARMING card drops through the letterbox, from someone I think could be described as a fan. I am very grateful. This particular lady follows this column, cutting out recipes, in a mission to serve more fresh food at home. After writing for 11 years (and five months, since you ask) her words almost brought a tear of joy to my eyes.
My job in these pages is to encourage everyone to cook more at home and enjoy it: I want to be the invisible, personal chef at your elbow, offering suggestions, tips, a helpful steer. I long for everyone to derive the same pleasure from cooking and eating I do. So, for those cooking for a family, this one’s for you.
Children make the hardest customers. What you want to serve seldom matches what they think they should have. So I suggest one of my childhood favourites, the humble croquette. Sadly, they are either ignored nowadays, or found only in supermarket frozen meals sections. Don’t stray there.
Yet with a golden crisp coat and meltingly unctuous interior, croquettes are really quite sophisticated and unquestionably tasty. While they are best laced with bold, smoky flavours like ham or smoked fish, you can use them as a crafty vehicle for using up leftovers, making them economical, or for sneaking vegetables past suspicious smaller diners. Croquettes are cheap, do-able in advance, perfect to pop in the freezer – in short, ideal for busy families.
Smoked trout and spring onion croquettes
Recipe serves four
100g plain flour
100g unsalted butter
400ml milk
An onion; 4 cloves, optional
300g smoked trout (or substitute hot smoked salmon)
6-8 spring onions
Zest of one lemon
Flour for coating and dusting
4 eggs with a dash of milk
180g breadcrumbs
Method
1. Flake up the fish, removing any skin, bones or other unwanted bits. Slice the spring onions in very fine rounds. Add to the flaked fish along with the lemon zest.
2. Place milk in a saucepan and add the onion, with the cloves pressed into it, if using. Season milk with a little salt and bring almost to the boil then remove from the heat to stand for 10 minutes or so. While waiting, melt the butter in another pan (large enough to hold the milk later), then add the flour. Stir in with a wooden spoon or spatula to form a smooth roux. Once the milk has infused, discard the onion, then start adding the milk gradually to the roux, stirring as you go, working over a gentle heat, until all the milk is added and you have made a thick smooth white sauce. Remove from heat.
3. Now fold the spring onion and flaked smoked fish through the sauce and mix thoroughly. Leave to cool.
4. Have a small bowl of flour ready and a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Once the mix is cool, roll it into eight even-sized balls, using flour to coat your hands as you go to prevent the mix sticking and place each ball on the prepared tray. Dust the work surface with flour then using a spatula, form the balls into patties (like an ice hockey puck). Return to the tray then place in the freezer briefly to firm up; they do not need to be completely hard, just easier to handle.
5. Prepare three separate bowls of flour, lightly beaten egg and breadcrumbs. Pass each croquette, through the flour to coat it then through the beaten egg then through the breadcrumbs. Once they are all done, pass each one through the egg and breadcrumbs once again then set on the parchment lined tray. These can either be chilled or frozen for now.
6. To finish and serve, pan-fry in hot oil on both sides until gold then transfer to a pre-heated oven to cook at 180C for around eight minutes, turning them over with a palette knife halfway through. The outside should be crisp with a yielding centre. Serve two per person with boiled potatoes, a salad or some green vegetables.
Smoked ham croquette canapés
50g plain flour
50g butter
200ml milk
An onion and 4 cloves, optional
150g diced smoked ham
Nutmeg to grate
Fresh ground black pepper
Flour for coating and dusting
3 eggs with a dash of milk
180g breadcrumbs
Method
1. Repeat step 2 above, adding several twists of fresh ground black pepper and a generous amount of fresh grated nutmeg after the seasoned milk has been removed from the heat.
2. Beat the chopped ham into the mixture and leave to cool.
3. Repeat steps 4 and 5 above
4. To finish and serve, pan-fry in hot oil on both sides until gold then transfer to a pre-heated oven to cook at 180C for around 5-6 minutes, turning them over with a palette knife halfway through. The outside should be crisp with a hot yielding centre. Serve as warm canapés.
Geoffrey Smeddle is chef patron of The Peat Inn by St Andrews, Fife, KY15 5LH 01334 840206 www.thepeatinn.co.uk
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