Ham Croquettes

Ingredients

• about 4 cups ham, finely ground
• flour
• butter
• milk
• salt
• pepper
• pinch of sugar
• dry mustard
• Velveeta cheese, cubed
• flour (for breading)
• egg wash
• panko breadcrumbs
• oil (for frying)

Method

1. Pulse ham in a food processor until finely ground, yielding about 4 cups.
2. Make a béchamel sauce by whisking flour into melted butter over medium-low heat until the roux is the color of sand, then slowly whisk in milk until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
3. Mix the ground ham with the béchamel sauce until fully combined, then spread on a sheet pan and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours until firm.
4. Form the chilled mixture into golf ball-sized croquettes.
5. Set up a breading station with flour, egg wash, and panko breadcrumbs.
6. Bread each croquette by first coating in flour, then dipping in egg wash, then coating with panko breadcrumbs.
7. Heat oil in a pan for frying. Fry croquettes in batches until deeply golden and crisp, then drain excess oil.
8. Keep fried croquettes warm in a 200°F oven while frying remaining batches.
9. Prepare a second béchamel sauce with Velveeta cheese and dry mustard by making a roux, then slowly adding Velveeta cubes until melted and smooth.
10. Serve croquettes with steamed broccoli, mashed potatoes, and Velveeta Mornay sauce.