Prosciutto & Goat's Cheese Croquettes

Cook Time 1 hour plus refrigeration

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Béchamel

2 cups of full-cream milk

½ brown onion, roughly chopped

2 cloves of garlic, smashed

2 parsley sprigs

2 bay leaves, dry or fresh

6 whole peppercorns

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp plain flour

100g prosciutto, diced

¼ cup chopped chives

½ grated parmesan

4 blocks marinated goat's cheese, crumbled

¼ tsp pepper

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Coating

1 cup plain flour

2 cups of panko bread crumbs

2 eggs, whisked

Method

For the béchamel, place the milk into a pot and add the onion, garlic, parsley sprigs, bay leaves and peppercorns. Cook over medium heat to warm through. Do not boil. Remove from the heat and let it infuse for 10 minutes. Strain the milk and discard the rest.

In another pot, on a medium heat, add the butter. When the butter is starting to foam, add the flour and whisk for 1 minute to cook the flour out. Remove from the heat and add half the milk, whisking until smooth. Add the rest of the milk and put back on a low heat and cook until the béchamel is thick in consistency.

Remove from the heat and stir in the chives, prosciutto, parmesan, goat's cheese, pepper and nutmeg. Place the béchamel mix into a container and place in the freezer until set but not frozen solid (at least 1 hour).

Place the flour, breadcrumbs and whisked eggs into 3 separate bowls. Take the béchamel out of the freezer and, using a desert spoon, spoon out some of the mix and form it into a cylinder space. Place flour in and roll around, then place it in the egg to coat and then into the panko crumbs, coating well. Place onto an oven tray and repeat with the rest of the mix.

Place the tray in the freezer until croquettes are firm (at least 1 hour). Cook in a deep fryer or a deep pan with oil heated to 180°C until golden and crispy. It should only take 1-2 minutes.

Season with salt and serve with aioli.