Croquetas de puerros

These delicious croquetas transported me straight back to the tapas bars of Seville. They are a bit fiddly to make but the trick is to leave the bechamel rest for a day before attempting to shape them into rolls. They are certainly worth the wait!

Ingredients

for the bechamel
300ml milk 
50g butter 
2 tbsp olive oil
80g plain flour
1 leek, large (or 2 small)
salt 
pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated
100g cheese, (cheddar) finely grated

to coat
plain flour
beaten egg
breadcrumbs  

extra virgin olive oil (for frying) 

Method

Wash the leek then cut off the root and the upper green leaves. Thinly slice the remaining leek.  In a heavy based pan heat some olive oil on a low temperature and add the leeks. Cook slowly for about half an hour until the leeks have softened and caramelised. 

Meanwhile prepare the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan on a medium heat then sieve in the flour. Stir well to create a paste. Next, pour in a splash of milk (which is at least room temperature i.e. not straight from the fridge. You could even warm the milk slightly.) Mix thoroughly until the milk has been incorporated, then add a little more milk, stirring all the time. Continue the cycle of adding milk a little at a time until the paste in now a sauce. 

Add the grated cheese and cook the sauce on a low temperature until it thickens.

Finely chop the cooked leeks and add it to the bechamel sauce.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Allow the sauce to cool and then pour into a container with a lid. Refrigerate once it has totally cooled and leave for 24 hours.

To make the croquetas prepare three bowls (or plates), one filled with plain flour, the other with beaten egg and the other with fine breadcrumbs.

Scoop out a full tablespoon of the leek and cheese bechamel.  It should have set to a consistency that it is manageable.  With well floured hands shape the mix into a long roll then drop it into the flour. Then using a spoon lower it into the egg, completely covering it. Finally roll it in the breadcrumbs.

If the cheese and leek bechamel is too soft and difficult to handle try shaping it into a ball by rolling it around the palm of a cupped hand. If it is still too soft to shape then as a last resort add some flour to the bechamel to thicken it a little.

Once all the croquetas have been shaped place them on a tray and put back in the fridge of a short while.  Bring a pan of olive oil to a medium-high temperature. Test it with a piece of potato. It should be hot enough when the potato rises to the top and begins to cook.

Carefully place the croquetas into the oil and cook for a minute until they turn golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon.

Drain on kitchen paper then serve immediately sprinkled with some salt.