INGREDIENTS
15 g dried wild mushrooms
125 ml boiling water
150 ml olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated
250 g fresh girolles
125 g plain (all-purpose) flour
500 ml fresh vegetable stock, warm
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
50 g walnuts, chopped
1 litre vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sea salt and freshly ground
black pepper
COATING
3 tablespoons plain (allpurpose) flour
25 g walnuts, chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
150 g panko breadcrumbs
Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl with the boiling water and leave to soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquor. Heat 50 ml (1. fl oz/3 tablespoons) of the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds, then add the drained mushrooms and girolles and fry until golden. Season well.
In a separate saucepan, heat the rest of the oil over a high heat. Add the flour and cook for 2–3 minutes, then gradually add the warm stock, stirring, until you have a smooth, thick bechamel. Add the mushroom soaking liquor and stir, then season. Roughly chop the mushrooms and add them to the bechamel with the tarragon and walnuts. Spread the mixture out on a baking sheet lined with clingfilm (plastic wrap), cover and chill until cold. Once cold, take spoonfuls of the mixture and roll into 30 balls of about 30 g (1 oz) each. To coat the croquetas, blitz the flour and walnuts together in a small food processor, then transfer this mixture to a dish. Pour the olive oil into a second dish and the breadcrumbs into a third.
Coat each of the balls in walnut flour, then olive oil, then breadcrumbs, then place on a baking sheet. When they are all coated, freeze for 1 hour. When you’re ready to cook, pour the oil for deep-frying into a saucepan over a high heat. Heat the oil to 180ÅãC/350ÅãF, or until a cube of bread browns in around 30 seconds. Drop a few of the croquetas into the oil and fry for 3–4 minutes until deep golden and hot to the centre. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towels while you fry the rest. Serve straight away
