Buttered leek croquettes

Name: Buttered leek croquettes
Yield: Makes 30–35 croquettes
Ingredients: 400 g (14 oz) leeks, finely chopped; a drizzle of olive oil; 125 g (4 oz) butter; 75 g (21/2 oz/1/2 cup) wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting; 400 g (14 oz/generous 11/2 cups) milk; 25 g (3/4 oz) Parmesan, finely grated; 100 g (31/2 oz) crème fraîche; 1/4 tsp finely grated nutmeg; 75 g (21/2 oz) Cheddar, grated; 2 tsps poppy seeds; 2 eggs; 300 g (101/2 oz/5 cups) panko breadcrumbs; salt and freshly ground black pepper; sunflower oil, for deep- frying; wholemeal flour can be swapped for spelt flour or plain (all-purpose) flour; crème fraîche can be swapped for cream Cheddar or Gruyère would be a nice alternative; panko can be swapped for stale bread, blitzed

In her new cookbook Supper, Flora Shedden sets out recipes that will make staying in worthwhile. These heavenly fried croquettes are the ideal appetiser for an indulgent supper at home

12 January 2023

Laura Edwards

This makes a lot of croquettes but somehow whenever I make them it’s simply never enough. I tend to make the filling the night before for these, and then shape and coat in the morning, before frying to order. Frying can take a bit of time, so do make sure to plan your main dish around this – they are worth the effort!

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