Tag: tapa

Croquetas de Pollo

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Chicken Croquetas are one of Tenerife’s beloved tapas. Think of a very thick bechamel to which you add any kind of meat, even fish or vegetables –ham, chicken, turkey, crab, shrimp, cod– diced or shredded very finely. Breaded and fried in olive oil.

Ingredients for 4 people (40 units):

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces (340 g) boneless skinless chicken breast
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup (110 g) butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
  • 3 cups (720 ml) whole milk
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • inch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup (140 g) fine breadcrumbs
  • Sunflower oil or mild olive oil for frying

How to make

  1. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and sauté until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter to cool. Cut the chicken into pieces and grind with a food processor.
  2. In a clean skillet or sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onion. Cook over medium-low heat, until soft and transparent but not yet browned, about 12 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer; season with salt, pepper, and the nutmeg. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and keep hot.
  4. Sift the flour into the skillet over the onion and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. It should be a compact and just-moist ball. Spread out the ball in the pan and begin slowly stirring in the hot milk until the mixture is creamy and not too sticky when touched, about 5 minutes.
  5. Reduce the heat to low and fold in the ground chicken. Cook, gently stirring, for 2 minutes. The mixture should be spongy and can be touched without sticking to your finger.
  6. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl to cool. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours until chilled. (This will make forming the croquettes easier.)
  7. On a flat work surface dusted with flour, form croquettes into 2- to 2 1/2-inch (5- to 6.25-cm) long cylinders about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. Lightly roll in flour.
  8. Break the eggs in a bowl and thoroughly whisk. Place the breadcrumbs in a second bowl.
  9. Dip the croquettes in the egg and roll in breadcrumbs to completely cover.
  10. In a skillet or sauté pan, heat at least 3/4 inch/2 cm of sunflower oil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low.
  11. Working in small batches that don’t crowd the pan, fry the croquettes, turning frequently, until they are golden on the outside and hot and creamy at the center, about 2 minutes. Gently transfer them to absorbent paper towels to drain off excess oil.
  12. Serve hot.

Almogrote Croquettes

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Almogrote is a spread traditionally made with cured cheese, garlic, and oil. This flavourful blend has now been creatively incorporated into croquettes. While the texture in the croquette form is more liquid than the traditional spread, it retains the distinctive taste of the original almogrote.

Ingredients

  • 100g of butter or one tablespoon
  • 100g of white onion or half an onion
  • 50g of spring onion or leek if you prefer
  • 700ml of milk
  • 150g of flour
  • 200g of almogrote (they usually come in this size)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Flour, eggs and breadcrumbs for coating
  • Olive or sunflower oil for frying

Method

  1. Heat a saucepan over medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and then add the diced portion of butter, helping it to melt quickly.
  2. While you’re finely dicing the onion so it blends well, thinly slice the spring onion or leek leaves and mix them with the onion.
  3. Once the butter has melted, add the vegetables to the saucepan and let them cook for at least 10 minutes over low heat.
  4. While the onion is cooking, heat the milk in another container at medium temperature.
  5. Once the vegetables are cooked, gradually add the wheat flour to the saucepan and stir until well combined with the sautéed vegetables. Let it cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. You’ll see a solid dough form and the flour toast.
  6. Gradually add the hot milk, stirring constantly until the béchamel sauce is ready. All the ingredients in the saucepan should be well combined. 
  7. Remove the béchamel sauce from the heat and add the prepared almogrote, mixing it evenly. It will have a yellowish cream consistency. Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper if needed.
  8. Pour the mixture into a glass container or bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it set in the refrigerator for a day. If you’re in a real hurry, we recommend leaving it for at least 3 hours.
  9. Let’s create the final croquette! The dough has rested, and now it’s time for the final step.
  10. Prepare three containers: one with flour, one with egg, and one with fine breadcrumbs. Take portions of the dough with a spoon and shape them into your preferred croquette form. Then, coat each croquette in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs.
  11. All the croquettes are now formed. You can store them in the refrigerator or freezer, or cook them right away.
  12. Heat plenty of oil in a deep frying pan and add the croquettes when it’s very hot.
  13. Remove them and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. 

Chorizo Teror Croquetas

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Moya, Gran Canaria, is known for its wide array of croquette flavours. Among the most popular are those featuring the renowned chorizo from the village of Teror. These croquettes embody the unique taste of one of the Canary Islands’ most celebrated sausages.

Ingredients
4-5 servings

  • 1/2 onion
  • 1/2 leek
  • 2 teeth garlic
  • 1-2 Teror sausages
  • 150-200 g flour
  • 1/2 l milk
  • 1 spoon butter
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • Chopped parsley

For breading:

  • Flour
  • eggs
  • breadcrumbs

Step by step

  1. Peel the onion and garlic.
  2. Clean the leek.
  3. Chop the leek and onion. P
  4. Cut the leek, onion, and garlic in a food processor.
  5. Blend the vegetables.
  6. Sauté the onion, garlic, leek, and chopped parsley in a pot.
  7. Add the chorizo, stir. Add the flour, stir.
  8. Add the milk and stir.
  9. Season the dough.
  10. Shape and bread.

For Breading

The standard order is Flour, then Eggs, then Breadcrumbs (F-E-B), a three-step process where flour helps the egg stick, the egg acts as glue, and the crumbs provide the crust, with all stages often seasoned for flavor.

Use a “dry hand” for flour/crumbs and a “wet hand” for eggs to keep it clean, and chilling the breaded item before cooking helps the coating adhere.

To Cook Croquettes

Typically deep-fry them in oil heated to 180°C (350-356°F) for 3-6 minutes until golden brown and crispy, draining them on paper towels.

To bake, heat the oven to 180C/160C fan and air fryer/gas 4 and bake for 20-25 mins until deeply golden and crisp.

 

Croquetas de Jamón Serrano

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Small rolls made from a mixture of olive oil, butter, flour, and milk flavored with Serrano ham and deep-fried to crispy perfection. (Although, if you’re like the locals in Spain, you might want to try more adventurous flavors, like mushroom or even chocolate!)

Ingredients for 4 people (40 units):

For the béchamel sauce:

  • 100g Serrano Ham
  • 100g of all-purpose flour
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/2 liter of whole milk
  • 200-300 ml of beef broth
  • 40 ml of olive oil
  • Salt
  • Nutmeg

For the batter:

  • 200g of breadcrumbs
  • 3 eggs
  • Mild olive oil for frying

How to make

  1. Finely chop the onion and cut the Serrano ham into small cubes and set them aside.
  2. Heat the chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat and keep it warm for later use. In a separate saucepan, heat the milk and set it aside to add to the béchamel sauce.
  3. In a large frying pan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
  4. Once the onion is ready, add the diced Serrano ham and sauté lightly. Don’t let it brown too much, as we want to maintain its soft texture and avoid overly strong croquettes. Add all the flour at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spatula.
  5. Let it cook for about 6-7 minutes, stirring constantly, so the flour toasts slightly and loses its raw taste. Be careful not to burn it, as this will make the croquettes bitter.
  6. Gradually pour in the hot stock, stirring constantly until the mixture is well combined and forms a thick paste.
  7. Then, gradually add the hot milk, ensuring it’s fully incorporated before adding more. Cook the béchamel sauce over medium heat until it reaches a smooth and creamy consistency.
  8. Adjust the thickness by adding a little more milk if needed, and season with a pinch of salt and nutmeg to taste.
  9. Once the béchamel sauce is ready and has reached the desired consistency, remove it from the heat and transfer it to a tray. Let it cool to room temperature before refrigerating it for at least 2 hours, or until firm.
  10. When making the croquettes, prepare the breading ingredients by placing the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Separately, beat the eggs in another bowl.
  11. Once all the ingredients are prepared, coat the croquettes. To do this, take a portion of the dough with a spoon and, using another spoon or your hands, shape it into a croquette. Then, dip it in the beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
  12. Press lightly to shape them and ensure the coating adheres well. As you form them, place them on a board so the coating dries slightly, preventing them from opening up while frying. Repeat the process with all the dough until all the croquettes are ready.
  13. Once the croquettes are shaped, it’s time to fry them: heat plenty of mild olive oil in a frying pan and, when the oil is hot, add the croquettes in small batches. This will prevent them from falling apart or absorbing too much oil. Fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Remove the croquettes from the oil and place them on paper towels to absorb any excess grease.
  14. Once they are all fried, serve immediately, piping hot, to enjoy their best texture, creamy and tasty.

Escaldón and Mojo Croquettes with Sea Bass Sashimi

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Ingredients for Escaldon

  • 1l of fish broth
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • A sprig of mint
  • 1 onion
  • 500g of gofio

Ingredients for Croquettes

  • 2 sea bass fillets
  • mojo sauce which includes
  • pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of cumin
  • 1 teaspoon of coriander
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • vinegar
  • sunflower oil
  • Salt

How to prepare Scalded Gofio

  1. We put all the gofio in a bowl and make a small hole in the middle to add the hot broth little by little.
  2. We continue beating while we gradually add the fish stock until we obtain a soft and light dough.
  3. We chop and add the mint. to the mix.
  4. We cut the garlic as we like.
  5. In a frying pan, brown them and set aside.
  6. We add the garlic to the Gofio.
  7. We cut the onion into large pieces and place it around the bowl where the scalded gofio was served.

Make the Croquettes

  1. We make the mojo sauce by blending all the ingredients in a blender.
  2. We add 3 tablespoons of the mojo sauce to the gofio scald and form small, elongated balls, like croquettes.
  3. We make a sea bass carpaccio by slicing it very, very thinly and setting it aside.
  4. Now all that’s left is to plate it.

Presentation:

Place a small, elongated ball of hot, scalded gofio on a small plate, top it with a small fillet of raw sea bass, and garnish with a cilantro or onion leaf.

 

Escalivada Croquettes

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What is escalivada?
Escalivada is a warm or cold dish made with roasted vegetables,  aubergine, red bell pepper, onion and sometimes tomato . Originally, the vegetables were grilled but nowadays they are also oven-baked.

Ingredients:

  • 1 roasted red pepper
  • 1 roasted eggplant
  • 5 or 6 black olives
  • 1 grated onion
  • 2 heaped tbsps of whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 liter of milk
  • Sea salt
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • Breadcrumbs.

Preparation:

  1. In a frying pan, pour a good amount of olive oil and sauté the grated onion.

  2. Next, we will add the flour and lightly coat it with oil.
    We will gradually add the milk as needed, stirring with a whisk to prevent the dough from sticking to the pan.

  3. Add salt to taste and when the dough is almost ready to come away from the pan, add the roasted peppers and eggplant, cut into small squares.

  4. Add the olives, also cut into small pieces.

  5. Continue stirring until the dough pulls away from the pan.

  6. Let the dough cool for a few hours and beat the egg to coat the croquettes.

  7. We will shape them with the spoon and coat them in egg and breadcrumbs.

  8. Fry in plenty of virgin olive oil and serve warm.