Description
This shrimp or prawn croquettes recipe makes the perfect appetizer, and one is never enough! Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, these shrimp or prawn croquettes are simply irresistible. This is an ideal appetizer recipe to enjoy as you kick off 2022!
Ingredients
For The Croquettes
- 900 grams Shrimp
- Salt To Taste
- 1 cup Water
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 6 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
- 1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
- ½ tsp Red Chilli Flakes
- ½ Big Onion, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1 cup Shrimp Broth
- ½ cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
- ½ tsp Grated Nutmeg
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- ½ cup Bread Crumbs
- ¼ cup Cilantro/Coriander ( finely chopped)
For The Coating
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ½ cup Bread Crumbs
For The Frying
- Vegetable Oil
Method
- In a pot, add the shrimp, season with salt and add the water. On a medium heat steam the shrimp for 5 – 7 minutes.
- Once the shrimps have steamed, take them off the heat and let them cool.
- In a heavy bottom pan on a medium heat, add the butter and once it has melted, add in the garlic, and fry till light golden
- To that, add the green chillies and the red chilli flakes, saute the mixture
- Add in the chopped onion and saute till the onion turns translucent
- Mix in the all-purpose flour and whisk continuously till the flour cooks down
- Now stream in the milk, while whisking vigorously to create a smooth sauce
- To that, add the strained shrimp broth from the boiled shrimp and continue whisking vigorously
- Season with freshly grated nutmeg and pepper
- Toss in the grated cheese and whisk till the cheese melts and the sauce becomes creamy and thick
- Take the sauce off the heat and allow it to cool completely
- Once the shrimp have cooled, shell and dice them and add them to a large bowl
- Add the cooled bechamel sauce, bread crumbs, and chopped cilantro to the diced shrimp and combine all the ingredients
- Now cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 – 3 hours
- For easy prep, I recommend creating a workstation by whisking three eggs in a bowl and alongside placing the breadcrumbs on a board
- To form the croquettes, use a trigger release ice cream scoop (optional) and scoop out the shrimp mixture. Then roll it in the palm of your hands to form a mini log.
- Dip the croquettes into the beaten eggs and using a fork, drain off the excess egg
- Gentilly roll the croquettes in the breadcrumbs till evenly coated
- In a pot, heat up vegetable oil on a medium heat
- When the oil reaches the desired temperature, fry the croquettes in small batches for 2 – 3 minutes till they become a light golden colour
- Place the fried croquettes on a wired rack to drain off the excess oil and allow them to cool for about 5 minutes before enjoying them
