Christmas Leftovers Croquettes

This Christmas I got a completely unexpected gift. As a friend told me a while ago, Christmas presents are meant to be things you would never buy for yourself but you really fancy having.

Well, that was case the Christmas. Because I’ve been a good girl this year, Father Christmas left a MP3 player under the tree for me. I have never had an MP3 player. I did have a Walkman (oh, the 80s!) and a Discman (oh, the 90s!).

So having a MP3 was the only way forward.

Santa was thoughtful enough to fill it with some of my most favourite songs ever. Timeless songs that make me laugh, feel different emotions and that bring back special moments from my life. The best thing about my MP3 is that I can feel completely on my own when using it. It is like being out of this world, which I really appreciate those moments you really need a break and to escape. I have even sung a song out loud in the office without realizing I was! Embarrasing.

Music has always played a really important role in my life. There are songs that cheer me up when I need it. There are songs that remind me who I am, where I come from. There are songs that were played at special moments such as my wedding day, my son’s first bath, my days in Madrid, or my trip to Senegal with the Red Cross. Some songs give me strength or help me to remember why I fell in love with my husband. Songs that remind me of my childhood  or from those never ending summer nights when I was 16 . Some songs make me think about people such as my sister, my dad, my best friend. Songs for my first kiss and the first time someone broke my heart. And there are songs that make me dance even when I never do, because I have a serious lack of co-ordination.

So all those songs, leftover songs from my life, make a wonderful collection of mementos that sound even better than when I used to listen to them on the original CD.

This week’s recipe is something like that. For Christmas dinner I made a wonderfully tasty roast duck with tangerines, grapefruit and cranberries. Roast mini onions, parsnips and potatoes as a side. Served with an amazing gravy made of orange juice, vegetables and the duck juices. It was truly delicious but, of course, we didn’t manage to eat it all. 

So from something that was lovely and that my family and I shared around our Christmas table, I prepared those croquettes. A dish that deserves better than to be classed as leftovers that can be kept frozen during months bringing us back good memories anytime we need them.

WHAT YOU NEED

For the dough

100gr Salted Butter
100gr Plain Flour
250gr Leftovers (i.e., roast turkey, mince meat, fish)
1L Full Fat Milk

For the batter

150gr Plain Flour
3 Eggs
200gr Breadcrumbs
400ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil

WHAT YOU DO


Some time ago I prepared Cured Ham, Spinach and Parmesan Croquettes that were absolutely delicious, but I have improved the recipe a bit, so I will go through the whole process again.

Flake or crumble your leftovers and reserve.

In a medium size pan, melt the butter to mid heat. Add the flour gradually mixing together with a wooden spoon. Tip: add one tablespoon at a time and don´t add any more until completely integrated.

Now add the milk little by little. Stir continuously until soft and smooth. If splodges, blend a couple of minutes with a electric blender.

Add the leftovers, mix and put in a deep dish. Let set for at least 2 hours.

Shape the chilled mixture into cylinders. Place the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Coat each one in the flour, then egg and finish with a layer of breadcrumbs. Tip: you can freeze the croquettes at this stage and use them as needed as they cook very well from frozen.

Pour the oil into a deep saucepan and heat over high heat.

Fry the croquettes, turning frequently, until they are golden on the outside and hot and creamy at the centre, about 2 minutes. Tip: work in small batches so the croquettes don't stick together. Gently transfer them to absorbent paper towels to drain off excess oil. Serve hot.