Welsh Rarebit Croquette’s

Ingredients

The Rarebit

• ¼ small onion, peeled
• 100g 1833 Cheddar
• 1 whole clove
• 200ml Camden Hills Ale or other pale ale
• 1 pint (570 ml) milk
• 100 g butter
• Salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard
• I teaspoon of English Mustard
• 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
• 3 egg yokes
• salt and pepper to taste
• Panko bread crumbs to coat

The Croquettes

• The cold rarebit
• 1 to 2 eggs beaten
• 100g Panko bread crumbs
• Frying Oil

The Cheddar Dip

• 227 ml double cream
• 100g 1833 Cheddar
• 2 x Bay leaf
• 2 x Crushed Garlic cloves
• 10g Butter

Croquettes Method

1. Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves in it – how many you use is a personal matter; I happen to like a pronounced flavour of clove. If you don't like them at all, you can use some freshly grated nutmeg instead. Place the onion – studded with cloves – plus the bay leaf and a pinch of nutmeg, in a saucepan together with the milk. Add some salt then bring everything up to boiling point. Take off the heat, cover the pan and leave in a warm place for the milk too steep for two hours. When you're ready to make the sauce, remove the onion and bay leaf.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another saucepan, 100g of flour, and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. This will make a roux. Gradually add the hot milk to the roux on the heat and beat with a wire whisk to smooth out lumps for about a minute. The roux will absorb the milk as it cooks and become a very thick béchamel sauce. Now add the ale and cook the alcohol out for 2-3 min
3. Remove the béchamel from the heat and stir in the English mustard, wholegrain mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cheeses with a wooden spoon. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time with the wooden spoon. Spread the mixture onto a cling film baking sheet, cover the top surface directly with clingwrap, and refrigerate it overnight.
4. Take the chilled rarebit sauce and divide into 36 bite size portions and set aside. Next beat the 3 whole eggs and place in a large shallow bowl. Add the panko bread crumbs to a second large shallow bowl. The secret is to use one hand for the egg and the other for the breadcrumbs
5. Bring the oil up to temperature coat the individual bites in egg then panko crumbs and deep fry until golden. Place on kitchen towel to absorb excess oil and serve immediately with the cheddar dip

Cheddar and Garlic Dip

1. Peel the garlic cloves and smash with the back of a knife, next add the butter to the pan along with the cream. Slowly bring to the boil and add the garlic cloves and the bay leaves, simmer gently to infuse the garlic and bay. Remove the garlic and bay leaf and now stir in the grated cheddar until smooth and glossy. Place in serving dish and enjoy.