Bacon Spanish Croquettes

Recipe Ingredients

• Bacon- Traditional, Spanish croquettes are made with jamon cerrano, but I used bacon. The best part about using bacon is that you don’t need to add butter because we use the grease as the fat for the roux.
• Onion & garlic- The onion and garlic are here for flavor. In the end result, you won’t even feel the onion or garlic.
• Flour- All you need is plain all-purpose flour. We need to use the same amount of flour as fat in this recipe.
• Milk & heavy cream- Some people only use milk, but the combination of milk and heavy cream makes a creamier croqueta center.
• Parmesan cheese- This cheese is perfect because it adds saltiness to this dish. In my opinion is a must because it adds a delicious taste.
• Breadcrumbs & eggs- Use a thin breadcrumb so it will be easier to cover the roquetas. The eggs will act as a binder to make sure the breading doesn’t fall off.

How to Make Bacon Spanish Croquettes

• Photo 1: First, prep the vegetables. Peel and chop your onion into small cubes. They should be small enough so they don’t stick out of the croquetas. Peel and mince the garlic.
• Photo 2: Cut the bacon into small pieces about ½ inch thick. Don’t worry if they look too big because these will shrink once cooked.

• Photo 3: Over high heat in a big pan, cook the bacon. You want it to be nice and brown and crispy. So make sure to constaly stir so it can cook evenly. Then remove it from the oil.
• Photo 4: Add the onion and garlic without removing the oil. Let the onion get nice and soft and cook for 5 minutes. Your onion should have a light brown color and should be tender.

• Photo 5: Add the flour and stir. You want to cook the flour for 2 minutes. This is done so you don’t get a chalky taste from uncooked flour. It should look like wet sand.
• Photo 6: Slowly start adding the milk while mixing in. You quickly going to notice how the milk turn into a paste. Keep whisking nd adding the milk.

• Photo 7: Cook this for 8 minutes. You’ll notice that the mix will start to thicken, almost like a pancake batter.
• Photo 8: Shut off the heat, add the bacon, cheese, and seasoning. Let the pan cool at room temperature and cover with plastic film. Put it right on top of the mix because you don’t want it to form a skin. Then cool for 4 hours at least.

• Photo 9: Remove the film and shape the croquetas. This can be done in different ways. You can use an ice cream scoop, a spoon, or just use your hands.
• Photo 10: The mix will be sticky, so make sure to grease your hands before shaping. Shape the croquettes and let them cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to help them get firmer. If it is a very hot day, I suggest chilling for a little longer.

• Photo 11: Beat your eggs. Pass each ball first by the eggs and then by the breadcrumbs. Place them in a tray and let them chill.
• Photo 12: In a medium-sized pan, over high heat, add the oil. Let the oil get hot and fry the croquetas for about 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Make sure you only fry a few at a time because too many will make the oil temperature go down.