When talking about traditional cuisine, it's impossible not to mention one of its most typical products: croquettes.
All the 16 January is celebrated International Croquette Day and we didn't want to miss the opportunity to talk about one of the most beloved dishes in our gastronomy on our blog.
At Casino Alcalá, the croquettes have become one of the star dishes on our menu, the ham croquettes.
Why is January 16th World Croquette Day
It is said that croquettes originated in France (some theories place their origin in the Netherlands or Italy, but the most widespread legend is the French version). Their name comes from the onomatopoeia “croquer,” which means to crunch, and the first written reference dates back to 1817, courtesy of Antonin Carême, a chef to Louis XIV, who served his exquisite croquettes à la royale during a banquet for the upper classes on 16th January of that year. The court chef prepared a breaded béchamel with a crispy coating and served this delicacy to the guests, which nowadays no one can resist.
Ham, stewed, cod, mushroom, chicken, vegetable… you’ve surely tried croquettes made with any chopped ingredient. Today we bring you a selection of the croquettes served in the restaurants of our group. A fantastic plan to celebrate the International Croquette DayTry every offering and pick your favourite croquette, are you in?
Homemade croquettes with pringá
Surely at your grandmother's or mother's house, croquettes are made using up leftovers from a rich and comforting stew or casserole. With this delicious way of using up meat to make croquette filling (which is called 'pringá' because traditionally the meats from the stew were eaten by sopping up bread), you can lose your mind. In this article, we'll show you How to make authentic homemade stew croquettes
Our colleagues from Taberna San Isidro They offer pringá croquettes on their menu, as the traditional three-course cocido is served every Tuesday and Thursday. A way to recall the taste of your grandmother's croquettes and pay homage to them on International Croquette Day.
Homemade croquettes of...
“Homemade croquettes”, with this name they present this dish at Tavern 7. Our colleagues at Ramón y Cajal propose that clients guess the star ingredient of the dough themselves. Their croquettes are surprising with their smooth taste and creamy texture. Clients define them as exquisite!
We'll give you a hint: they're green and they're a delicious way to eat your vegetables.
Casino Alcalá's homemade croquettes
At Casino Alcalá you can prepare Iberian ham croquettes. Without a doubt, they are one of the most famous recipes in Spanish cuisine and the ones you've most likely tried. Therefore, if it's your first visit to our restaurant, we suggest you try them. Their intense flavour and creamy texture will surprise you.
The concentrated stock from the heads and skins of the langoustines, which is mixed to make the croquette batter, gives the croquettes a unique and irresistible flavour that will allow you to enjoy these shellfish in a different way.
The Casino Kitchen Team tells us the secret to cooking a perfect croquette: “It is essential to cook the flour well to avoid lumps and to work the roux properly to obtain juiciness. At Casino Alcalá, we add trisol, a soluble fibre derived from wheat, composed of pure 100% wheat dextrin%. This way, we ensure that the croquettes do not open and remain crispy. Additionally, we add a good broth made from the main product and whole milk.”.
We invite you to pay homage to this delicious dish and enjoy a gastronomic route to discover your favourite croquette.
And if your palate isn't trained, it can be difficult to tell if a croquette is homemade or not, and if you're being conned. this Casino Alcalá blog post We give you the keys to know if the croquette you are eating is a truly homemade croquette cooked with care or an industrial croquette.
Happy International Croquette Day!