The perfect crunch reveals a soft, creamy interior of crab and potato. Crab croquettes are a simple and delicious appetiser, packed with flavour and texture. A decadent seafood delight with every bite.
Cook the peeled potato in boiling water then mash finely with a fork or put through a ricer. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
Heat the butter in a frying pan over a moderate heat until bubbling, then add the shallot and garlic. Fry gently for 4 minutes until the shallot is soft. Remove from the heat and then add this to the mashed potato. Add the oregano, parsley, crab meat and lemon zest. Season well with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust salt & pepper as needed.
Place this mixture into the fridge for 1 hour to cool so that it’s easier to handle and shape.
Arrange a breading station:1. Add the flour to a bowl with a little salt & pepper.2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg with a couple tbsp of water.3. In a third bowl, add the Panko breadcrumbs.
When the potato is cold, remove from the fridge and take a small amount and roll into a ball (about the size of a ping pong ball). Roll to flatten the edges to create a thick sausage. Square off the edges with your fingers to create the croquette shape. Repeat this with all the mixture.
Gently toss one croquette into the flour. Dust off any excess flour then dip into the egg. Then toss into the breadcrumbs and roll it around to completely coat it in crumbs. Arrange on a plate and repeat the process with all the croquettes. Cover and refrigerate until needed. TIP: leave for at least 10 minutes - this will set the croquettes and avoid them falling apart or the crumb separating from the croquette during cooking.
Frying the croquettes
Heat the oil in a small saucepan pan to around 170ºC/350ºF (a bread cube should gently bubble when placed into the pan). Be careful not to have it too hot as the crumb will burn and become bitter.
Carefully place 5-6 croquettes into the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes (turning once or twice) until they’re golden brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove to drain on paper towels while you repeat the process with all the croquettes.
Serve hot or cooled to room temperature (hot is best!).
Notes
Alternative cooking methods:You can cook your croquettes in a few different ways.
Baking from fresh - Preheat oven to 200ºC/400ºF. Arrange the croquettes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 12-15 minutes. Turn the croquettes after 6 minutes cooking.
Air Fryerfrom Fresh - Preheat air fryer to 195ºC/385ºF. Lightly spray the basket with some oil and cook in a single layer for 10-12 minutes until crisp.
Once you've breaded the croquettes, you can freeze them before cooking. Just arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid (this will help avoid sticking in the freezer). Once frozen on the sheet, decant to a freezer bag.
Baking from frozen - Preheat oven to 200ºC/400ºF. Arrange the croquettes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 15-20 minutes. Turn the croquettes after 10 minutes cooking.
Air Fryer from frozen - Preheat air fryer to 195ºC/385ºF. Lightly spray the basket with some oil and cook in a single layer for 15-20 minutes until crisp.
Change up the ingredients
I like to play with the herbs I use from time to time. Instead of oregano I'll use, dill, chives, thyme, marjoram or mint.
I've also made seafood cakes using this recipe, substituting crab for cooked salmon or finely chopped raw shrimp.