The Stove
Belgian shrimp croquettes
These shrimp croquettes are a popular beer snack in Belgium. Perfect for parties or as a starter to a fancy dinner.
Ingredients · Servings around 20
- 85g butter diced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 95g plain four plus extra for dusting
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 350ml whole milk
- 80g gruyère or comte grated
- ¾ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 250g peeled and cooked prawns
- 1 lemon zested then halved
- 15g parsley finely chopped
- 200g golden breadcrumbs
- 3 medium eggs beaten
- sunflower or rapeseed oil for frying
- tartar sauce to serve
Method · 20 min
- Melt 20g of the butter in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onions with a pinch of sea salt for 6-7 mins until translucent. Add the remaining butter and allow it to melt (but not brown), then tip in the flours. Whisk to bring everything together into a thick roux, then cook for 2-3 mins, whisking until no raw flour remains. Pour in half of the milk, then whisk well over a gentle heat until smooth. Add the remaining milk and whisk again until you have a smooth, thick béchamel.
- Add the cheese, nutmeg, cayenne, 1/2 tsp each of black pepper and sea salt, the prawns, lemon zest and parsley. Cook for 1 min, whisking continuously, then taste and add more spices or salt, if needed. Cook over a low heat for 1 min until thickened, adding 1 tsp of cornflour if it’s still too runny. Pour the mixture into a deep roasting tin, then chill for at least 2 hrs until firm.
- Remove from the fridge and, using two large spoons, scoop out cylindrical croquettes, about 4cm long and 2cm thick. If it’s a little soft, form into loose cylinders, then put on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and freeze for 1 hr until firm.
- Tip some plain flour into a shallow bowl, then tip the breadcrumbs into a second and the beaten egg into a third. Roll the croquettes into the flour to coat, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then freeze for 30 mins. If you like, coat the croquettes again as you did before – the coating ensures they are airtight and creates a satisfyingly thick crust.
- Fill a heavy-based pan no more than a third full with oil and heat to 170C. Fry 3-4 croquettes at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan) for 4-5 mins until golden brown. Remove to kitchen paper to drain using a slotted spoon, then squeeze over the lemon halves. Eat straight away with tartar sauce and a Belgian beer.
- 85g butterdiced
- 1 medium onionfinely diced
- 95g plain fourplus extra for dusting
- 80g gruyère or comtegrated
- 1 lemonzested then halved
- 15g parsleyfinely chopped
- 3 medium eggsbeaten
- sunflower or rapeseed oilfor frying
- tartar sauceto serve
- kcal608
- fat38g
- saturates14g
- carbs44g
- sugars6g
- fibre2g
- protein21g
- salt2.1g
Method
- step 1Melt 20g of the butter in a large pan over a medium heat and cook the onions with a pinch of sea salt for 6-7 mins until translucent. Add the remaining butter and allow it to melt (but not brown), then tip in the flours. Whisk to bring everything together into a thick roux, then cook for 2-3 mins, whisking until no raw flour remains. Pour in half of the milk, then whisk well over a gentle heat until smooth. Add the remaining milk and whisk again until you have a smooth, thick béchamel.
- step 2Add the cheese, nutmeg, cayenne, 1/2 tsp each of black pepper and sea salt, the prawns, lemon zest and parsley. Cook for 1 min, whisking continuously, then taste and add more spices or salt, if needed. Cook over a low heat for 1 min until thickened, adding 1 tsp of cornflour if it’s still too runny. Pour the mixture into a deep roasting tin, then chill for at least 2 hrs until firm.
- step 3Remove from the fridge and, using two large spoons, scoop out cylindrical croquettes, about 4cm long and 2cm thick. If it’s a little soft, form into loose cylinders, then put on a baking sheet lined with baking paper and freeze for 1 hr until firm.
- step 4Tip some plain flour into a shallow bowl, then tip the breadcrumbs into a second and the beaten egg into a third. Roll the croquettes into the flour to coat, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking paper, then freeze for 30 mins. If you like, coat the croquettes again as you did before – the coating ensures they are airtight and creates a satisfyingly thick crust.
- step 5Fill a heavy-based pan no more than a third full with oil and heat to 170C. Fry 3-4 croquettes at a time (don’t overcrowd the pan) for 4-5 mins until golden brown. Remove to kitchen paper to drain using a slotted spoon, then squeeze over the lemon halves. Eat straight away with tartar sauce and a Belgian beer.