Ingredients

• 75g/2½oz butter
• 200g/7oz plain flour
• 500ml/18fl oz milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 75g/2½oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 150g/5½oz ham
• chopped
• 100g/3½oz Lincolnshire poacher cheese
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley
• chopped
• 75g/2½oz plain flour
• 2 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 100g/3½oz panko Japanese breadcrumbs
• rapeseed oil
• for deep frying
• 3 free-range egg yolks
• 1-2 tsp English mustard
• 100ml/3½fl oz rapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Directions

• For the ham and cheese croquetas
• melt the butter in a large saucepan
• then whisk in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in the milk gradually to make a thick sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the breadcrumbs
• ham
• cheese and parsley. Place in the fridge to chill for 3-4 hours.
• Shape the chilled mixture into 7cm/2¾in cylinders. Place the flour
• beaten eggs and breadcrumbs in three separate bowls. Coat each croqueta in the flour
• then egg and finish with a layer of panko breadcrumbs.
• Add the oil to a deep-fat fryer and preheat to 170C/338F. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
• Deep fry the croquetas in batches until golden-brown. Remove and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
• To make the mayonnaise
• whisk the egg yolks with the mustard in a bowl and then very gradually add the oil
• whisking continuously. Stir through the vinegar
• then season with salt and pepper.
• Serve the croquetas on a board with a bowl of the mayonnaise for dipping.