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Croquetas De Castaña Con Boletus (Chestnut and wild Mushroom Croquettes)
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course any time, Appetizer, tapas
Cuisine European, French, spanish
Ingredients
  
  • 200 g porcini or other fresh wild mushrooms
  • 1 big dollop butter or a mixture of butter and oilive oil
  • a dash of balsamic or sherry vinegar
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2-3 tbsp chestnut flour availble from Italian delis
  • 1 cup milk you can use unsweetened almond, oat, soya or other non-dairy milk
  • 1 bunch finely chopped tarragon (dry is fine) rosemary, thyme, parsely and chervil also work well with mushrooms
For the coating
  • flour
  • beaten egg
  • breadcrumbs
  • oil for frying
Instructions
 
  • put the milk into a bowl and leave to reach room temperature
  • wipe the mushrooms with a clean damp cloth to remove earth and other debris. Chop coarsely and set aside
  • chop the onion and garlic finely and sauté gently in a little oilive oil, butter or both until soft and slightly browned
  • make a well in the centre of the pan and add the vinegar. Cook until it has completely evaporated, then give the onions a stir
  • add the chestnut flour, stirring with a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly. The roux should be a little runny. If it clumps up add a bit more butter or oil. Cook on a very low heat for 1-2 minutes without stirring and without browning
  • add the milk all at once, whisking vigorously to avoid lumps. If this worries you add it gradually. 
  • mix in the mushrooms and herbs and season with salt and pepper
  • allow the mixture to cool completely
making the croquettes
    you can simply toss the croquettes in a little chestnut flour and pop hem straight in the pan. The danger is that the relatively thin crust will break up creating a soggy mess. Deep frying is the best option in this case.
      for best results use the three tier method
      • beat a couple of eggs in a bowl
      • sprinkle some chestnut flour onto a plate
      • sprinkle breadcrumbs on another plate - these are made in seconds in a coffee grinder, food processor or mini chopper; you can use any bread
      • heat a good amount of light olive oil in a pan
      • spoon small portions of the cold croquette mixture onto your floured hand and shape into discs, balls or cylinders. 
      • coat them with flour, dip them in the egg and finally roll the croquette in the breadcrumbs.
      • shallow or deep fry over medium heat until golden brown, placing them on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil. Serve immediately.