Pancetta, cheddar & cranberry croquettes
Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims/non-pork eaters.
Take a little effort to make these delicious croquettes – they store well in the freezer and make a quick starter that takes just minutes to cook
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Prep:45 mins
Cook:45 mins
plus 3 hrs chilling, or overnight - Serves 6
- More effort
Nutrition per serving
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kcal 411
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fat 27g
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saturates 11g
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carbs 26g
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sugars 0g
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fibre 1g
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protein 15g
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salt 1.2g
Ingredients
- 125g pancetta
- 40g unsalted butter
- ½ nutmeg , grated
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 5g freshly picked thyme leaves
- 40g plain flour , plus 50g more for coating
- 300ml whole milk
- 3 tbsp cranberry sauce , plus extra for serving
- 100g mature cheddar , coarsely grated
- 2 eggs , beaten
- 75g panko breadcrumbs
- vegetable oil , for deep-frying
Method
Tip the pancetta into a cold medium saucepan and set over a medium heat. This encourages the fat to render, making the pancetta extra crisp. Cook for 8-10 mins, until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Set aside.
In the same pan, melt the butter over a medium heat until foaming. Add the nutmeg, mustard powder, paprika, thyme and flour, and season. Cook for 1 min, until fragrant. Slowly add the milk, bit by bit, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cranberry sauce, cheddar and pancetta, mixing well. Season with a little salt and lots of black pepper. Scrape into a shallow bowl, then cover and chill in the fridge for about 2 hrs or ideally overnight, until cold and solid.
Tip the remaining 50g flour into a shallow bowl, the eggs in a second shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third. Using slightly wet hands, form the mix into torpedo shapes, weighing about 25g. Gently roll in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put in the fridge to chill for at least 30 mins. Will keep covered and frozen for up to three months.
Fill a saucepan no more than a third full with oil. Heat to 180C, or if you don’t have a thermometer, a cube of bread dropped in should brown in 15 seconds. Carefully add a few croquettes to the pan at a time, and cook for 4-5 mins, until golden and crisp. To cook from frozen, fry for 5-6 mins. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve with extra cranberry sauce for dipping.
