Spanish Challenge 8: Potato Y Manchego Croquettas

The problem is when you get inspired and creative in the kitchen, if you don’t write down your recipe the day you cam up with it, you may as well kiss-it goodbye. It happens to me every time, and no matter how many times, I always think that this time, the recipe was so stunningly enginuitive I will never forget it.

So it happened with my Croquettas. Don’t let that put you off, I mean, I’ll give you the recipe roughly and you can have a play with it. It’ll work, and in all frankness, it’s a show-stopper. But just looking at the picture to refresh my memory now it looks like it’s got red cabbage in it.  This time I’m leaving it out for you..

Spanish Challenge 8: Potato Y Manchego Croquettas

Now why or why would I have done that? And I could have done; sometimes I’m just too much of a health-freak for my own good. I think everything might have cabbage, sprout and flax-seed in it if it weren’t for some gentle poking from Theresa now and again.

Finally a couple of very brief notes on the dish. First, they’re not deep-fried, just pan-fried, yet they hold together and have the crispy crunch of deep-fry without the oil. For this you should try them alone. Second they really benefit from the right choice of potato. Go for old-crop potatoes, which is what is traditionally used here.

They’re denser and give a better texture. You can recognise them by their darker, thicker skins.

Croquettas (serves 4 as part of a Tapas Meal)

1/4 cup Olive Oil

1 large stick Celery

1Bay leaf

2 tsp oregano

4 Medium Potatoes

½ cup, 50g Manchego (grated)

3 tbs chopped fresh Parsley

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Saute the celery and bay leaf in 1 tbs of the olive oil until soft.
2.  Meanwhile rinse the potatoes and then cut them in half and put them on to boil for 20 minutes or until soft.
3.  Slip the potatoes from their skins when cool enough to handle and mash with all the rest of the ingredients and another large tablespoon Olive Oil.
4.  Shape the croquettas into roughly one-inch by 3-inch cylinders. Place in the fridge for an hour to firm up some more if you have time.
5.  Heat the remaining olive oil and fry the Croquettas turning on all sides to ensure an even browning.