1 big dollopbutter or a mixture of butter and oilive oil
a dash ofbalsamic or sherry vinegar
1onion
2cloves garlic
2-3tbspchestnut flouravailble from Italian delis
1cup milkyou can use unsweetened almond, oat, soya or other non-dairy milk
1bunchfinely 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.