CROQUETA, CROQUETA, CROQUETA!

I love croquetas. Ham, cod, cheese, chicken, and yes, even kale! You can put almost anything in bechamel, bread it and fry it into those wonderful little cylinders of deliciousness. I mean, Pepe Billete even wrote a song about them and whatever the filling, irregardless, they’re delicious!

Now, as much as we Cubans want to claim them as our own, the croqueta or croquette is not a Cuban invention. Older versions can be found across Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and other countries that have been around longer.

Personally, I have always been intimidated by the thought of making them. I had visions of explosions in oil and runny bechamel. The first few times I made them, it was supervised by the watchful eye of my far more talented partner in sandwich-making. More on that later. But now, living so far away from a Carreta or Versailles, I’ve finally found the courage to attempt them on my own. And, surprisingly, they were a success!!!

I used the Three Guys From Miami recipe and it worked beautifully. The only things I did differently were to use white wine instead of sherry and I didn’t have any nutmeg, so I left it out. I also only had half a pound of ham, and it still worked out just fine. If you do attempt this though, be sure your bechamel is THICK. Like the consistency of mashed potatoes thick. It also helps to make the filling one day ahead and refrigerate it overnight.

Buen Provecho!

Favorite Cookbooks: Cocina Criolla

Everyone has a different approach to following a recipe. Personally, I like to follow to the letter on the first attempt and then get creative on the second try. In my experience, this works especially well in most savory recipes. Don’t try to be cute and creative when it comes to pastry or baking, unless you are an experienced baker. I, for one, am not, so I don’t even go there.

Cocina Criolla by Nitza Villapol.

As you can see, this one gets a lot of use. Well, this particular edition was my grandmothers, which I inherited. Yes, it is held together with scotch tape and rubber bands. Don’t judge.
This is the bible of Cuban cuisine. You’ll also find some interesting interpretations of other dishes like lasagna and rather disturbing treats of the mid 20th century like tomato and tuna aspic. In any case, if you need a solid basic recipe for your black beans, pork roasts and yuca, this is the place to go.
Mine is particularly special because it is filled with little notes and other recipes from my grandmother. Sadly, the regular edition does not come with those.
Here is a really lovely article from Saveur about the “grande dame of Cuban cuisine” and how the lady, and the book, have become cultural icons on and off the island.