Jamon & wild garlic croquetas

1. Wash the wild garlic leaves well in a colander, then pour over boiling water until just wilted. Rinse straight away under cold water, squeeze out the excess, and chop finely.
2. Warm the milk in a pan over low heat until just steaming. Heat the oil in a second pan, and once warm stir in the flour for a couple of minutes until it starts to take on a little colour. Add the warm milk gradually, a splash at a time, until you have a thick, silky sauce, then let it bubble for a minute or two, stirring to cook out the flour, and season.
3. Stir in the manchego, jamon and wild garlic until combined. Tip onto a lightly oiled tray, spread out, cover, and chill for at least 1 hour (up to 24).
4. Lightly oil your hands and roll the mixture into 18 to 20 even balls, arrange on a tray, and freeze for 30 minutes to firm up.
5. Beat the egg in a shallow dish with a little seasoning, and put the breadcrumbs in another. Dip each croqueta in the egg, then coat in breadcrumbs. (They can be frozen at this point for up to three months.) Pour the oil into a large deep pan no more than a third full and heat to 170C (a cube of bread should brown in 30 seconds). Fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden (or at 160C for a few minutes longer from frozen), then drain on kitchen paper. Serve warm with a glass of sherry.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Blanch the wild garlic and squeeze it really dry, otherwise it will loosen the bechamel.
• Cook the bechamel until properly thick and chill it through, as a firm, cold mix is what holds the shape.
• A short stint in the freezer once shaped makes them far easier to crumb and fry.
• Keep the oil around 170C and fry in small batches so the crust colours evenly to a deep gold.