Croquetas de Jamón -- Ham Croquettes

Croquetas de Jamón -- Ham Croquettes

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup finely minced onion
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk (more or less), room temperature
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
4 cups (about 1 pound) ground smoked ham
1 cup (more or less) dry bread crumbs
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 eggs beaten with 1 tablespoon water
1 cup dry bread crumbs mixed with 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Vegetable oil for frying

Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan; add the onions and sauté on medium-low heat until translucent. Gradually whisk in flour to make a roux -- add more butter if necessary to make it smooth. Gradually whisk in the milk to form a smooth sauce. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens. Your sauce needs to be very thick -- like wallpaper paste! Whisk in nutmeg, sherry, and parsley.

Fold in the ground ham and bread crumbs. Let simmer for 5 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly. Taste and season with pepper and a little salt if necessary; the ham probably has enough salt already. Spoon the mixture into a baking dish and refrigerate until well chilled -- at least 1 hour.

TIP: The mixture needs to be firm enough to form into rolls. If your mixture is too soft or sticky, add additional bread crumbs.

Beat the eggs with water in a mixing bowl until frothy. Combine the bread crumbs and flour in a second bowl with salt and pepper.

Shape the ham mixture into logs about 3/4 inch thick and 3 inches long. Dip the logs in the egg wash and roll the logs in the seasoned bread crumbs. Dip a second time and re-roll in bread crumbs.

IMPORTANT: Cover logs with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. (You may also freeze for later use, or use the freezer to quickly chill them.)

In a large frying pan, add enough vegetable oil to cover half the croquetas at a time. Heat the oil to the frying stage -- about 360 to 375 degrees F. Sauté a few croquetas at a time in the hot oil for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown.

Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Immediately make loud noises, pretend someone is at the door, or otherwise endeavor to distract any bystanders. This will prevent the hungry from attacking the croquetas before they are cool enough to eat safely! Believe us, fresh croquetas have a habit of rapidly and mysteriously disappearing!

Serves 6 to 8 (2 croquetas per person).

Source: Excerpted from the book, "Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban," ISBN:
158685433X

Pinchos -- Pork Kabobs

Pinchos -- Pork Kabobs

INGREDIENTS

1 cup finely diced onion
6 cloves garlic, mashed with 2 teaspoons
salt and 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 tablespoons Spanish sweet paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine
4 pounds boneless pork, cubed for kabobs

1. Make your marinade by combining all the ingredients except pork in a non-metallic bowl.

2. Add the pork cubes and mix them around until well coated with the marinade.

3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

4. Skewer the meat loosely so there is a little breathing room between the pork pieces.

5. Get your grill nice and hot.

6. Grill the meat, turning occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cooked to perfection and juices run clear.

7. Adjust seasonings as you go-meaning a little salt and black pepper is usually in order.

NOTE: We know that many people like to make their pinchos with chunks

of onion, green or red pepper, and cherry tomatoes, or even zucchini. The problem with this method is that vegetables tend to cook a lot faster than meat. If you want to grill some vegetables with your pinchos, make up some separate skewers with veggies only.

A good rule of thumb is to toss the vegetable pinchos on the grill about midway through cooking the meat.

Source: Excerpted from the book, "Three Guys from Miami Cook Cuban," ISBN:
158685433X