Cerveceria La Tropical’s Jamon Croquetas

Welcome to another edition of Chefs Share! Each month, we highlight restaurant recipes from your favorite local chefs. These restaurant recipes don’t require any professional kitchen experience, and ingredients can be found at your local supermarket or specialty store.

This month’s recipe comes from Cindy Hutson of Cerveceria La Tropical (42 NE 25th St., 305.741.6991), one of Wynwood’s hottest breweries. For more than 27 years, she and her life partner Delius Shirley have opened successful concepts across the United States and the Caribbean. Here in the 305, Hutson’s eateries have included Ortanique on the Mile in Coral Gables, and Zest and Zest MRKT in downtown Miami.

When Hutson isn’t in the kitchen, she can be found lending her culinary expertise to the food community by hosting events, intimate cooking classes and mentoring young women through the James Beard Foundation’s Women in Culinary Leadership program, dedicated to breaking through the culinary world’s “glass ceiling.”

At Cerveceria La Tropical, Hutson serves as consulting executive chef and has created a fun menu of casual bites and plates to go with the brewery’s more laid-back vibes. On that menu crowd favorite ham croquettes (jamon croquetas), which you’ll be making this month.

Before you get started on these mouthwatering morsels, make sure to read the recipe to avoid surprises. And the recipe’s yield – 24 croquetas – make this a perfect pick for parties and other holiday gatherings. Enjoy!

PREPARATION

·      To make ham “milk,” place reserved skin from ham in saucepan and add milk; bring to a simmer and add salt and nutmeg.

·      After simmering 10 minutes, pour mixture into blender and blend until smooth; set aside.

·     To make “croqueta masa,” melt butter and oil in deep skillet; add onion and garlic, sautéing until soft, about 15 minutes on low heat.

·      Add 1 1/2 cups flour and incorporate into butter-oil blend; once incorporated, cook over low heat and stir until flour slightly browns, taking care not to burn.

·     Slowly whisk in ham milk; as it thickens, fold in grated ham using a spatula.

·      Once evenly mixed, place ham masa on a half-sheet baking tray, flattening mixture down evenly; refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours (but overnight is better).

·      Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, ball chilled masa and place on baking sheet.

·      Coat each ball in remaining 3/4 cup flour, dip in egg and dredge in panko.

·      Fry at 325° F until golden brown and serve.

Geoffrey Anderson Jr. and Dianne Rubin-Anderson are co-founders of Miami Food Pug, an award-winning South Florida food blog that fuses the couple’s love of dogs and food.