Peruvian-Style Croquette

Yield: 4 servings as a main course, or 8 as appetizers

Ingredients

• 1 pound (3 to 4) medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
• Salt, to taste

Make the Potatoes:

Instruction

1) Place the peeled, quartered potatoes in a medium pot and cover with at least an inch of cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2) Once boiling, cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes.

3) Drain and transfer back to the pot you cooked them in and set on the stove over medium heat. Let any excess water cook off for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pot a few times.

4) If you have a potato ricer, rice the hot potatoes into a large bowl. If you don’t, let the potatoes cool in a large bowl for about 10 minutes before carefully pressing them through the large holes of a box grater.

5) Add the butter and pepper to the grated potatoes. Use a rubber spatula to gently mix until the butter is melted. Do not overmix. Set aside until it becomes room temperature, about 1 hour.

Form the Croquettes:

Instruction

1) Once the mashed potatoes are at room temperature, add 2 of the eggs. Use the rubber spatula to mix just until combined.

2) Use a medium size spoon to scoop out one golf ball-sized croquette at a time, then use your hands to roll each into a uniform ball. Place them on a clean baking sheet and continue until the mixture is used up.

3) Add enough oil to a medium-sized pan so that it’s at least 2 inches deep. Make sure the oil does not come more than halfway up the sides of the pot. Heat over medium heat to exactly 350°F while you bread the first batch of croquettes.

Bread the Croquettes:

Instruction

1) Add the breadcrumbs to a shallow plate. Crack the remaining 2 eggs to a small bowl, whisking until well combined.

2) Dip one croquette at a time into the eggs, then into the breadcrumbs, turning to coat. Set back on the clean baking sheet and repeat until half of the croquettes are breaded and ready to fry.

Fry the Croquettes:

Instruction

1) Prepare a separate baking sheet by lining it with paper towels to transfer the cooked croquettes after frying in oil.

2) Carefully add a few croquettes at a time to the hot oil – you will need to cook them in batches. Continue breading the other half of the croquettes while you work through the batches of frying.

3) Fry until they’re golden brown all over, for about 3 minutes. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to move them around gently as they cook to ensure even browning.

4) Once croquettes are done frying, transfer from oil to the paper towels to cool. Add more oil to pan as needed between batches and keep an eye on temperature.

Ingredients

• 2 whole ají Amarillo chiles or 1 tablespoon ají Amarillo paste
• Olive oil
• 1/4 yellow or white onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• Kosher salt and Pepper
• 12 ounces queso fresco, cut into cubes
• 4 oz of Lemon juice (3-4 Lemons)
• 2 oz evaporated milk

Instruction

1) If using whole ají Amarillo chiles – slice them in half and remove the stem and seeds. Cook in a small sauté pan, set over medium heat and add a teaspoon of olive oil. Cook the ají Amarillo chiles until softened. Transfer to a blender and set aside.

2) If you’re using ají Amarillo paste – you can simply add the paste to a blender and proceed as instructed below.

3) To the same small sauté pan, warm a tablespoon of olive oil then add the onion, garlic, and pinch of salt. Cook until mostly softened, for about 3 to 4 minutes.

4) Transfer to the blender, along with the cubed queso fresco, evaporated milk, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until mostly smooth and set aside.

Ingredients

• 3 Hard boiled eggs
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp Lemon juice (1 Lemon)
• 4 Tbsp Huancaína sauce
• 4 pitted Peruvian black olives or Kalamata olives

Instruction

1) Shell the eggs, cut them in half and add them to the food processor.

2) Process for a few seconds and scrape down the sides, then add the lemon juice, Huancaína sauce, and salt and pepper.

3) Process for a few more seconds until thoroughly blended. Do not over process - this is much nicer with a light texture.

4) Roughly chop the olives and set aside for topping.

Depending on the setting you'll be serving the croquettes - we recommend this recipe serves 4 people as a main course or 8 people as appetizers. Pre-assemble with some microgreens at the base and set each croquette with a dallop of the egg mouse and sprinkled with olives. Enjoy!

The latest stop of our Bubbles & Bites culinary world tour lands us in Peru. Debuting in June, this limited-edition menu takes you on a journey through the diverse and flavorful dishes of Peruvian cuisine.

This cuisine is a mix of indigenous and international inspiration gathered from Spanish, Asian, and African cuisines, presenting unexpected and delightful pairings with our sparkling wines.

We invite you to make a reservation at our table, or create your own Food & Wine Pairing at home.