The basics are largely plagiarised from a Hugh F-W recipe for chicken or ham but the deeper flavour of pheasant is even better as the taste comes through. I tend use the thighs or the meat picked off the drumsticks that have more flavour than the breast and can be tougher. Take care if using drumstick meat as pheasant drumsticks have short needle like sinews that would be very unpleasant if swallowed! So pick over it very well.
The tarragon mayonnaise goes with it really well and sometimes I add a small handful of tarragon in to the bechamel too. These are along way from the potato croquettes you find in the supermarket freezer section. When fried the bechamel goes all gooey again.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
375ml full fat milk
200g cooked pheasant finely chopped. The meat can be poached or baked and left to cool.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good grating of nutmeg
2 eggs
100g fine white breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil (not extra-virgin) or rapeseed oil, for frying, although sunflower seems to work ok
Small handful of tarragon
Mayonnaise
2 tbsp plain flour
375ml full fat milk
200g cooked pheasant finely chopped. The meat can be poached or baked and left to cool.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A good grating of nutmeg
2 eggs
100g fine white breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil (not extra-virgin) or rapeseed oil, for frying, although sunflower seems to work ok
Small handful of tarragon
Mayonnaise
Fry the onion in the olive oil in a frying pan until soft but not coloured.
Add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes. Warm the milk in a separate pan and gradually add into the onion, stirring constantly until all the milk is stirred in and the sauce thickens, then add the pheasant. Continue to cook, stirring, until the béchamel is quite thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan as you stir, about eight minutes. Season and add the nutmeg.
Add the flour and stir for a couple of minutes. Warm the milk in a separate pan and gradually add into the onion, stirring constantly until all the milk is stirred in and the sauce thickens, then add the pheasant. Continue to cook, stirring, until the béchamel is quite thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan as you stir, about eight minutes. Season and add the nutmeg.
Pour the béchamel into a shallow dish. When cold, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate overnight preferably but 4 hours at least.
Use two teaspoons to shape the mixture into ovals about the size of a large egg. Arrange a bowl of lightly beaten egg and another of breadcrumbs, and dip a croqueta first into the egg and then roll it in the breadcrumbs, covering the whole surface. If you want them extra crisp, dip and roll them twice.
Transfer to a plate and continue with the rest of them. Chill for a couple of hours, or up to 24 hours.
Pour the oil into a heavy saucepan to a depth of 5cm or so and heat until it is hot enough to sizzle as soon as something is placed in it. Fry the croquetas three or four at a time until golden on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain and keep warm in a low oven. Continue until all the croquetas are cooked. Serve hot, maybe with a sprinkling of Spanish smoked paprika and the mayo on the side.
Great with some other tapas style nibbles like fried chorizo or padron peppers fried in olive oil and sprinkled with flaky sea salt. The hot, green, pickled Spanish chilli peppers, 'guindillas', are also great as they cut through the richness
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