Tony's Croquetten (Kroketten)
This recipe is originally from my father (H.N. van Roon) I just modified it to make it a bit tastier. Dad only used veal for his kroketten (krokets), which resulted in a beautiful, very light colored (almost white) filling mixture. This filling mixture is called 'ragout' (rah'goo'). The quantity of ingredients below makes for about 60 to 65 krokets. If you don't want that many just half or quarter the recipe. On the other hand, they freeze easily and can be kept for a long time.

Ingredients:

360 grams Real Butter (Unsalted)

360 grams all-purpose flour

1-1/2 Cup stock (beef, chicken, veal)

1 cup finely chopped parsley

4 Tbsp heavy cream (or whipping cream)

1/2 Tbsp oyster sauce (optional)

1/2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce (optional)

2 beef or chicken stock cubes

eggs (for rolling)

salt, pepper, nutmeg

Make enough [stock] from beef, veal, or chicken (about 1 liter). Perfect to make one day ahead. One thing about the stock; ensure that it is tasty after you added the 2 beef stock cubes. If the stock is not tasty enough then add salt, pepper and if need be another beef cube. Remove the meat and put the stock (uncovered) in the fridge overnight.

Cut the meat into pieces, make sure the meat is well cooked (false apart when you try to cut it). Refrigerate also overnight, covered.

Mix the parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cream, oyster sauce, and worchestershire sauce to the finely cut meat. Mix well. Set aside. Taste a bit to make sure it is tasty enough for you.

Measure the flour and set aside. Measure the stock and also set aside. Once you get going you have no time to do anything else.

Ready? Here we go then. Turn the heat to about 7 (electric, don't know the setting for gas. I guess the setting would be medium high). In a large pan (i use a wok, seems to work best) melt the butter. Don't burn it and don't let it get brown. As soon as the butter is melted and looks good to you, add the flour under constant stirring. Every time you add flour make sure it is dissolved into the butter without lumps. When all the flour is added, (don't stop stirring) add the stock a bit at a time. Depending on your way of measuring, all the stock may not be needed, or more is needed. So have it handy before you start cooking. When the mixture is the way you like it (looks a bit dry, thick, and loose from the pan) add the meat and mix it well. Take the pan of the stove and spread the mixture out onto a large serving plate or whatever. Put some plastic wrap on top (make sure there is no air trapped anywhere underneath) and refrigerate for a couple hours to stiffen it up otherwise it would be very hard to roll.

Cut the filling lengthwise and about an inch wide. Take this piece and roll the whole thing until it is your desired thickness. Cut this roll into about 5inch pieces (or whatever length you like). Do the same for all the rest.

Roll the pieces in bread crumbs, then egg-mixture then bread crumbs again (keep rolling so the bread crumbs become a good crust) and refrigerate or freeze.

A couple notes: easy on the nutmeg. You don't want the nutmeg to dominate the overall taste. You don't have to go through the expense of buying oyster or worchestershire sauce. If you have it in house it will enhance the taste, but if not, no harm done.

Put oil in a fry and set stove to medium-high heat (7). (Preheat the oil before adding the krokets.) NOTE: In case you fry krokets from the freezer, reduce the setting on your stove to about 6, otherwise the center is ice-cold when the krokets are done.


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