For the last round of deep fried goodness (probably for the rest of the year), I decided to experiment with a dish that migrated to Japan from France. Korokke are French croquettes refracted through the lens of Meiji era Japanese culture. They're a comfort food familiar to most Japanese people, and after a weekend filled with failed experiments (mediocre bâtard and a disastrous clementine curd cake), it was nice to finally have something turn out.
This version has Spanish and Italian influences. At its core it's filled with a rich Béchamel with bits of braised ham hock and sweet leeks. This is surrounded by creamy polenta encased in a crisp panko breadcrumb shell. When it's fried, the core liquefies, making a sauce inside a crispy creamy ball of polenta.
I used a ham hock that was simmered for several hours to convert all the tough tissue into tender collagen. This may sound like a lot of effort, but if you're making soup the day before, it's no more work than dropping a ham hock into a pot of water for 4 hours. You could of course substitute some smoked ham or bacon, but then you'd miss out on all the melty bits of skin and connective tissue that really add character to the filling.
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
For Béchamel
- 2 tablespoons cultured unsalted butter
- ½ cups leek chopped
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¾ cups milk (or half and half)
- ½ cups ham hock finely chopped braised smoked
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or ¼ teaspoon table salt)
- white pepper
for polenta
- 2 cups milk
- ¾ cups polenta
- 1 teaspoon evaporated cane sugar
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- white pepper to taste
for croquette
- flour for dredging
- 1 egg
- ¾ cups panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Make the Béchamel and polenta far enough ahead of time to chill thoroughly. You'll also need to have a ham hock that's been simmered for about 4 hours or until tender.
- For the Béchamel, melt the butter in a small saucepan and fry the leeks until tender but not brown. Add the flour and cook, stirring to saturate with butter, about 1 minute. Whisk in the milk or half and half, continuing to whisk until there are no lumps of flour and the sauce is the consistency of thick gravy. Add the chopped ham hock, salt, pimentón, and white pepper to taste. Cool to room temperature then refrigerate until cold.
- For the polenta, put all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook, stirring continuously for 20-30 minutes or until the polenta is tender and very viscous. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.
- To make the croquttes, rub some oil on your hands. Cup one hand and spoon some polenta into it, smoothing out to make a "bowl". Spoon a small amount of Béchamel into the polenta, then cover with another layer of polenta. Seal the edges and form into a puck shape with your hands. Lay on an oiled surface, repeating until you're out of polenta. Refrigerate until firm.
- Heat a cast iron pan with about ¾" of oil to 375 degrees F. Prepare 3 bowls, one with flour, one with a beaten egg and the last with panko. Dredge each croquette in flour, dip in the egg, then thoroughly coat in panko, using one hand for the egg and the other for the panko. Fry the croquette until the sides turn light brown, flip, then fry the other side until the whole thing is golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined wire rack and serve with a dusting of pimentón and tomato jam.
Megan says
I like the way you think.
Colloquial Cook says
Nooooo! I made crispy polenta yesterday night!! Marc, I am starting to freak out!Ok, there wasn't the lovely hamhock and leeks... Only a bit of rosemary, parmesan and butter. Eerie still.
Elra says
Sounds utterly delicious Marc. Like your take on the panko instead of the regular bread crumb.
Cheers,
Elra
Peter G says
This is your best deep fried work yet! My! I'm licking the screen Marc...a great combo. Panko are the only breadcrumbs I use these days.
Megan says
I like the way you think.
Colloquial Cook says
Nooooo! I made crispy polenta yesterday night!! Marc, I am starting to freak out!Ok, there wasn't the lovely hamhock and leeks... Only a bit of rosemary, parmesan and butter. Eerie still.
Elra says
Sounds utterly delicious Marc. Like your take on the panko instead of the regular bread crumb.
Cheers,
Elra
Peter G says
This is your best deep fried work yet! My! I'm licking the screen Marc...a great combo. Panko are the only breadcrumbs I use these days.
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
These look heavenly. I don't have a ham hock but I do have smoked ham and all the other ingredients, so I am making it for my lunch tomorrow! Yum!
Natasha aka 5 Star Foodie says
These look heavenly. I don't have a ham hock but I do have smoked ham and all the other ingredients, so I am making it for my lunch tomorrow! Yum!
Carolyn Jung says
Polenta and cheese go together like PB plus J! I can only imagine the ham hock addition sends it rockin' through the stratosphere.
Peter says
Ham hocks are chaulk'full o'flavour and your injection of smoky goodness in croquettes works for me.
I'm overdue for some hamhocks in my roster.
lisaiscooking says
That's a great combination of textures. Looks amazing.
Carolyn Jung says
Polenta and cheese go together like PB plus J! I can only imagine the ham hock addition sends it rockin' through the stratosphere.
Peter says
Ham hocks are chaulk'full o'flavour and your injection of smoky goodness in croquettes works for me.
I'm overdue for some hamhocks in my roster.
lisaiscooking says
That's a great combination of textures. Looks amazing.
Natalie says
Those look delicious!
The Duo Dishes says
Ham hock. Did someone say ham hock? Our Southern ears perked up a bit. This looks love breaded love nuggets. More more more!
We Are Never Full says
oh lord this looks friggin good. great idea using the polenta (for texture).
Natalie says
Those look delicious!
The Duo Dishes says
Ham hock. Did someone say ham hock? Our Southern ears perked up a bit. This looks love breaded love nuggets. More more more!
We Are Never Full says
oh lord this looks friggin good. great idea using the polenta (for texture).
Marc Matsumoto says
Perhaps after my arteries have had a chance to clear themselves of some blockage.
Marilia says
Bookmarked! Another recipe I cant wait to try.