Kani Kuriimu Korokke

In other words, Creamy Crab Croquettes, a Japanese favorite. It's hard not to dig in this luscious treat, but since it is fried bechamel after all, it has to be enjoyed with moderation. Look who's talking...
:-))





Serves 3-4 as a dinner:

- For the croquettes:
50g flour
50g butter
400ml milk
salt, pepper, grated nutmeg
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 shitake mushrooms or similar, finely chopped
olive oil
2 tablesp white wine
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 can of crab meat (draw any water)
1 egg, beaten
bread crumbs
oil for frying

- For the tomato sauce:
2 tablesp olive oil
1 tomato can
1 clove garlic
a good pinch of salt
a good pinch of sugar
pepper
1 bay leaf


Make a bechamel sauce with 50gr flour, 50g butter and 400ml milk. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and let it cool down.

Sauté the onion and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil over low heat, add a bit of white wine. Stir until soft and brown (10min), season with salt and pepper, reserve and let cool down.

When all the ingredients are cold enough, mix the bechamel, onions, mushrooms, hard-boiled eggs, crab meat.
Let this mix set and harden in the fridge for at least one hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the tomato sauce. In a saucepan, heat up the olive oil, add the tomato can, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, bay leaf, and cook for 10 minutes. Reserve.

Take the dough out of the fridge and form the croquettes with the help of a spoon, about 10X5X2cm. It is a very soft dough but no worries. Dip them in beaten egg and coat them with bread crumbs. Fry the croquettes in about 180degree oil until golden (about 3min) and serve right away, with a side of green salad and drizzles of the lukewarm tomato sauce.