Gammon croquettes

“For extra decadence, place some mozzarella in the centre of the crumbed croquettes.”- Clement Pedro

1. To make the white sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then add the flour. Cook, stirring, until slightly nutty.

2. Gradually add the milk while whisking. Once all the milk has been added, cook, stirring often, until thickened.

3. Season with salt and stir in the mustard, then pour into a dish with a large surface area. Place a sheet of clingwrap directly onto the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Chill until set but slightly wobbly.

4. Add the gammon to the white sauce and mix to combine. The mixture should be firm enough to handle. Shape the mixture into croquettes, slightly smaller than a ping-pong ball.

5. Season the flour with salt, then place in a large bowl. Place the eggs and breadcrumbs in separate bowls.

6. Roll the croquettes into the flour, dip into the beaten egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Chill while you heat the oil for deep-frying.

7. Working in batches, carefully lower the croquettes into the oil and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.

8. Serve with the mustard and mayonnaise. Any leftovers can be reheated in the oven or in the air-fryer.

Cook's note: These balls of gammony goodness can be rolled and crumbed in advance and can even be frozen before cooking. Simply allow them to defrost for a few minutes at room temperature before deep-frying.

These were made with leftovers from Clem's apple-and-honey-glazed gammon. Find the recipe here. 

Find more leftover recipes here.

Photographs: Jan Ras
Production: Abigail Donnelly and Clement Pedro
Food assistant: Ellah Maepa