Culture Magazine

C O O K I N G W I T H C H E E S E 202 3 culturecheesemag.com 7 MANCHEGO CROQUETTES Written and styled by Molly Shuster Photographed by Lauren Volo Cheesy, silky potatoes are encased in a crunchy, golden shell in this humble dish. Don't cut refrigeration time short or you'll have difficulty shaping and frying the croquettes. Makes about 20 croquettes 2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces ¼ cup whole milk 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ½ teaspoon kosher salt ½ cup grated Manchego ¹⁄ ³ cup diced ham 3 eggs, divided ½ cup all-purpose flour ½ cup plain breadcrumbs 2 to 3 cups canola oil, for frying Flaky sea salt, to serve Bring potatoes to a boil in a medium pot of salted water. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and mash until smooth (or process through a potato ricer). Stir in milk, butter, and salt, and let cool slightly. Stir in Manchego, ham, and 1 egg, lightly beaten. Roll mixture into 20 walnut- size balls and place on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Place flour and breadcrumbs on two separate plates. Whisk remaining 2 eggs with 1 tablespoon water in a shallow bowl and set beside flour and breadcrumbs. Roll croquettes in flour, dip in egg wash, and roll in breadcrumbs. Heat 1 inch of oil (about 2 cups) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, fry croquettes until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Repeat with remaining croquettes, adding additional oil as needed. Manchego Croquettes BOCCONCINI AND PICKLED CHERRY SKEWERS Written by Molly Shuster Bite-size bocconcini (mozzarella balls) and quick- pickled fruit make perfect hors d'oeuvres to serve with cocktails. You'll need about two dozen 4- or 5-inch bamboo skewers for this recipe. Plan ahead to make the pickled cherries, as they'll need to sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before use. Makes 24 skewers PICKLED CHERRIES: 1 cup white wine vinegar ¾ cup sugar 1 tablespoon kosher salt 2 strips orange zest 1 stick cinnamon 1½ teaspoons mustard seed 1 bay leaf ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 pound red cherries SKEWERS: 1 pint bocconcini mozzarella (1-ounce balls) ¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto 24 medium-size fresh basil leaves, washed 24 ½-inch-thick toasted baguette slices PICKLED CHERRIES: Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, orange zest, cinnamon, mustard seed, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper in a medium, nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. While pickling liquid comes to a boil, de-stem and pit cherries (keep whole) using an olive or cherry pitter. Do this over a bowl to catch juices. Discard pits and combine collected juice and cherries in a glass or ceramic jar or bowl. When liquid comes to a boil, pour over cherries. Cool to room temperature, then place a piece of cling wrap or small plate on the surface of the liquid, to keep cherries submerged. Refrigerate at least 8 hours up to 1 week. SKEWERS: With a slotted spoon, transfer bocconcini mozzarella from container to a plate. Using the same spoon, transfer cherries from pickling liquid to a separate plate. Cut prosciutto slices in quarters. Pair each pickled cherry with a piece of prosciutto and each mozzarella ball with a basil leaf. Skewer one of each set on each skewer. Place skewers on toasted baguette slices and serve immediately.

• Cover