Growing up Cuban in Miami, croquettes or “croquettas,” were pretty much a daily thing. Almost always cylindrical and made of ham with a crispy crust and creamy center, they are available everywhere and everybody loves them! My Abuela used to make some out of mashed potatoes, peas and carrots. When I was an impetuous youth I always thought that croquettes were strictly a Hispanic Miami thing. Then in my late teens I went to my first French restaurant and was surprised to see a variety of different croquettes on the menu. There were disk-shaped cheese croquettes, spherical salmon croquettes, and conical ones made of beef and game. Imagine my embarrassment when I found out that they were actually Dutch in origin. I learned two extremely valuable lessons here–that what I believe to be the truth may actually not be, and to always keep an open mind.
Whenever my mom and my dad threw a dinner party, my mother would make a baked brie appetizer she found in some magazine. She would place a small wheel of brie in the center of puff pastry and before wrapping it up, she’d drizzle honey and sprinkle pine nuts over the cheese and then bake it. It was so good, that I used to gorge myself on it when no one was looking. The memory of the ooey-gooey consistency of that baked brie got me thinking–what it would be like if I deep-fried it instead? It was then that I thought of my Abuela’s veggie croquettes, which were fantastic despite the thought that they would benefit from some cheese added to the mix and BOOM, an idea was born! I tried different combinations of cheeses and spices to try and create something as special and as scrumptious as the ones I was raised with.
The light tones of cream and butter from the brie combine perfectly with the sharpness of the white cheddar and the subtle nuttiness of the manchego. The grouping of cheeses perfectly accentuate one another to create a balanced flavor profile unrivaled in any cheese croquette I’ve ever tasted. This recipe became my favorite, especially with the addition of the sweet habanero dipping sauce (which I can eat with literally ANYTHING)! These croquettes work beautifully as an elegant appetizer or a snack, and pair wonderfully with a crisp and fruity white wine. They are quite simple to prepare and fry up rather quickly, making this an extremely convenient and delicious offering. I’m tellin’ you folks, these treats are friggin amazing!
brie manchego croquettes
8 oz. brie cheese, chilled/cubed
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
4 whole eggs, beaten
3 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups manchego cheese, shredded
6 cups canola or sunflower oil
½ cup confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Place the cubed brie, flour, baking powder and eggs into a food processor. Process until well combined and a viscous liquid.
Place brie mixture into a mixing bowl. In batches, add the cheeses and fold through until thoroughly combined.
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop cheese mixture onto the parchment paper. Once you’ve measured out all the mixture, roll in your hands to get a smooth ball. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 8-12 hours. Keep cold until ready to use.
In a dutch oven or a tabletop fryer, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. In small batches, add the brie croquettes to the oil and fry until set and golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Drain well on paper towels. Place on serving platter and sift confectioner’s sugar over the top.
sweet + spicy raspberry habanero dipping sauce
3 habanero peppers, seeded/rough chop
10 oz. raspberry jam
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 cups granulated sugar
In a food processor, puree the peppers, lime juice and the apple cider vinegar until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a stockpot set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and slowly add the sugar, whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the raspberry jam and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim any scum that may appear on the top. Remove from heat and cool completely in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
brujo notes:
- These croquettes are quite versatile in that you can substitute a multitude of cheeses, giving you an opportunity to create a variety of different experiences. Maybe, instead of brie, use tallegio. Instead of manchego, use parmigiano-reggiano or gruyere. Whatever your druthers, your options are illimitable!
- While frying these croquettes you want to gently shake the fryer basket to keep the croquettes from sticking to the bottom and burning/falling apart. In addition, when you first drop the croquettes in the hot oil they tend to gravitate towards each other and stick together. Keep them apart and floating around until done.
wine pairing: Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava
A marriage as beautiful as that of brie + manchego demands the unsurpassed qualities of Cava. This one is a lovely entry point option with bright notes of citrus and apple.
beer pairing: Oskar Blues – Mama’s Little Yella Pils.
The sweet, slightly malty and floral + citrusy hops prevalent in this brew pair naturally with the tang and sharpness of the cheeses, and the sweet heat of the dipping sauce. Any bohemian-style pilsner works here.
fruit pairing: If serving at a party and you would like to bulk up a platter of these gorgeous croquettes, dress up the plate with some berries, sliced granny smith apples (tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning), melon and/or figs. Fruit and cheese go together like Tom and Jerry!
musical pairing: Le Bien, Le Mal – Guru + MC Solaar
brie manchego croquettes + sweet raspberry habanero dipping sauce
- Total Time: 12.5 hours (includes chill time)
- Yield: 35 servings 1x
Description
Croquettes don’t always have to be made of ho-hum ham. Try these exotic three cheese croquettes featuring brie, manchego and white cheddar!
croquettes free from: soy + peanut + tree nut + fish + shellfish + vegetarian.
dipping sauce free from: gluten + dairy + egg + peanut + tree nut + fat + trans-fat + vegetarian + vegan
Ingredients
sweet + spicy raspberry habanero dipping sauce
3 habanero peppers, seeded/rough chop
10 oz. raspberry jam
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 cups granulated sugar
brie manchego croquettes
8 oz. brie cheese, chilled/cubed
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
4 whole eggs, beaten
3 cups white cheddar cheese, shredded
1 ½ cups manchego cheese, shredded
6 cups canola or sunflower oil
½ cup confectioners sugar (optional)
Instructions
for the dipping sauce:
In a food processor, puree the peppers, lime juice and the apple cider vinegar until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a stockpot set over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and slowly add the sugar, whisking constantly to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, add the raspberry jam and simmer for 10 minutes. Skim any scum that may appear on the top. Remove from heat and cool completely in the refrigerator. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
for the croquettes:
Place the cubed brie, flour, baking powder and eggs into a food processor. Process until well combined and a viscous liquid. Place brie mixture into a mixing bowl. In batches, add the cheeses and fold through until thoroughly combined. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a small ice cream scooper, scoop cheese mixture onto the parchment paper. Once you’ve measured out all the mixture, roll in your hands to get a smooth ball. Place in the refrigerator and chill for 8-12 hours. Keep cold until ready to use. In a dutch oven or a tabletop fryer, heat the oil to 375 degrees F. In small batches, add the brie croquettes to the oil and fry until set and golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Drain well on paper towels. Place on serving platter and sift confectioner’s sugar over the top.
Notes
pairings:
wine: Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava. A marriage as beautiful as that of brie + manchego demands the unsurpassed qualities of Cava. This one is a lovely entry point option with bright notes of citrus and apple.
beer: Oskar Blues – Mama’s Little Yella Pils. The sweet, slightly malty and floral + citrusy hops prevalent in this brew pair naturally with the tang and sharpness of the cheeses, and the sweet heat of the dipping sauce. Any bohemian-style pilsner works here.
fruit: If serving at a party and you would like to bulk up a platter of these gorgeous croquettes, dress up the plate with some berries, sliced granny smith apples (tossed in lemon juice to prevent browning), melon and/or figs. Fruit and cheese go together like Tom and Jerry!
musical: Le Bien, Le Mal – Guru + MC Solaar
brujo notes:
- These croquettes are quite versatile in that you can substitute a multitude of cheeses, giving you an opportunity to create a variety of different experiences. Maybe, instead of brie, use tallegio. Instead of manchego, use parmigiano-reggiano or gruyere. Whatever your druthers, your options are illimitable!
- While frying these croquettes you want to gently shake the fryer basket to keep the croquettes from sticking to the bottom and burning/falling apart. In addition, when you first drop the croquettes in the hot oil they tend to gravitate towards each other and stick together. Keep them apart and floating around until done.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-5 minutes
- Category: appetizer alchemy, sides sorcery
Keywords: brie manchego croquettes, sweet raspberry habanero dipping sauce
