They say that the croquette is a French invention, but it has been in Spain where it has risen to the art category, and that is why it is celebrated, today January 16, the International Croquette Day in style.
There is no restaurant, or bar, in Spain that does not have its recipe. Although the greatest competition is established at the domestic level, among “the best croquettes are those of my mother”, and “no, they are those of my grandmother”, how they miss each other (all)!
In the field of restoration there are many, many, good, and a good handful of extraordinary. Echaurren, Casa Martial, Casa Gerardo, Taberna Pedraza, Trivio … are the croquette top restaurants, guardians of the essences of the more classic version, ham or chicken, or both. Why are they going around such a sublime thing, so perfect. And from now on, also the Toledo Iván Cerdeño restaurant, which has definitely climbed to the croquette altars: it has won again for the second consecutive year the contest for the best Joselito Ham croquette, which is chosen every year within Madrid Fusión, and that failed yesterday, in the closing day of the gastronomic fair.
But we are going to put aside the orthodox – among which we include those of chicken, ham, chicken and ham, and their versions of rustit and stew or stew – to review some of the best and most heterodox proposals, some with surprising ingredients , all spectacular.
As always in these cases, they are not all that are, but those that are, you have to try them.
01. Chili pepper (Medea)
The croquettes are a fixture of his letter, the chili peppers are the best. (Madrid / Calle Nicasio Gallego, 14).
02. Cod with spinach (Celso and Manolo)
Their cod croquettes with spinach are very special, in addition to cod slow fish and spinach carry raisins from Malaga and pine nuts from San Esteban.(Libertad, 1 / Madrid).
03. Tiger mussel (Alabaster)
The tiger mussel croquettes have replaced their classic crayfish croquettes from the estuary. (Montalbán, 9 / Madrid)
04. Rice pudding (Casa Nimman)
Just for taking your rice pudding with milk is worth a visit. (From the Cave, 3 / Valporquero de Torío – León)
05. Black rice (Café Bar Hermanos Marcelo)
Black rice croquettes are stuffed with aioli. (Ballesteros, 10 / Trujillo – Cáceres)
06. Black pudding (Aranda grill)
Its soft black pudding croquettes are served with piquillo pepper cream. (Aranda de Duero, Barcelona, Madrid, Oviedo, Seville, Valencia, Valladolid, Zaragoza)
07. Cod (Labra House)
Their cod croquettes are at the height of their archifamosas slices of cod, which have turned this centenary establishment into a pilgrimage site. (photo @ figo.nimo) (Tetouan, 12 / Madrid)
08. Lobsterie
Your lobster croquettes are essential. (Gravina, 17 / Madrid)
09. Boletus and ham (Half Serving)
Boletus and ham croquettes stand out in their bar. (Of the Benefit, 15 / Madrid)
10. Squid in its ink (Bar del Pla)
In addition to more classic versions, it includes in its letter a wonderful squid croquette in its ink, which begin to become a classic. (Montcada, 2 / Barcelona)
11. Calçots (Xavi House)
Calçots croquettes are prepared in season and served with romesco sauce (photo by @mislares_cocina). (Promenade, 100 / Tarragona)
12. Carabinero (Filandón)
In addition to the classic ham, your carabinero croquettes are essential. (Fuencarral-El Pardo road, km 1.9 / Madrid)
13. Creative (Atelier Belge)
In a letter, parmesan croquettes, but they get creative and serve croquettes of Belgian cherries with parsley and lemon, or Brussels waffle flavored with hints of orange, cinnamon, vanilla, fresh cheese, smoked duck oregano and black pudding (pictured) . (Breton of the Blacksmiths, 39 / Madrid)
14. Loin in lard (Bodega El Pimpi) (creative)
Right now in a letter they have the classic puchero, but among their suggestions they can include varieties such as shrimp pil-pil, octopus and sweet potato with spicy lime mayonnaise, sweet potato raisins and pine nuts with cinnamon and blue cheese sauce … With Luck, tenderloin in butter, the best. (Granada, 62 / Malaga)
15. Various (Restaurants Sagardi Group)
Of old cow tail, prawns and garlic, eggplant, dried tomato and Idiazabal … Always present in the bars of their premises. (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Ibiza, Seville)
16. Meat (El Tronky Grill)
Their homemade meat croquettes stand out in a classic sea tavern. (Pier of Pedreña, Cantabria)
17. Pork cheek (La Porca)
The menu is changing, but those of pork cheeks with reduction of their juices and red wine are addictive. (Mata, 16 / Barcelona)
18. Small game (Lera)
Small game, of course, can not be otherwise in the temple of game meat; of hare, dove, pigeon … Major words. (Conquistadores Zamoranos, s / n / Castroverde de Campos – Zamora)
19. Beef jerky (Low Loin)
Stunning beef jerky croquettes. (Aragó, 283-285 / Barcelona)
20. Cecina and cheese (Café Bar Moderno)
Cecina croquettes and Arzúa Ulloa cheese. (Vila, 70 / San Cosme de Barreiros – Lugo)
21. Ossobuco (My Fucking Restaurant)
Ossobuco croquettes, served with citrus gremolata, have returned to the letter this 2020. (Nou de la Rambla, 35 / Barcelona)
22. Chipirón (Can Xurrades)
Chipirón croquette in its ink on honey aioli, essential; but there is more: mushrooms with strawberry jam with chilli peppers, cabrales cheese and beef meloso. (Casanovas, 212 / Barcelona)
23. Chorizo (Cañadío)
In the establishment of Santander they only have the traditions croquettes of the house, of ham, but in the one of Madrid, their impressive chorizo croquettes are a specialty that have been served since 1981. (Count of Peñalver, 86 / Madrid)
24. Cheese liquids (La Gastro de Chema)
In the letter, sepia gratin, shiitake mushrooms, carabineros and kimchi, and a “croquette of the month” that is changing (they have had cochinita pibil). But cheese liquids, on tomato jam and black olives, are second to none. (Del Barco, 7 / Madrid)
25. Compango (Gerardo House)
The croquettes of the fabada companion deserve more than two Michelin stars. (Road AS-19, km 9 / Prendes – Asturias)
26. Varied (Catacroquet)
The latest additions to the menu: shrimp croquettes, tikka masala, tuna with kimchi and Peking duck. (Almogàvers, 211 / Barcelona)
27. Salmorejo (La Croquetta)
In a letter specialized in croquettes, salmorejo and jalapeño stand out. (Source of the Watercress, 33 / Madrid)
28. Txuleta (Bar Txuleta)
Txuleta croquette, made with the skirt meat that surrounds the high loin. (Trinity Square, 2 / San Sebastián)
29. Loin of the pot (Garlic Soups)
Croquettes are one of Chef Alberto Soto's specialties, and they surprise, like all his dishes. It makes cheese, mushrooms, spinach and truffle, but the loin of the pot are spectacular. (Hall Walk, 25 / Palencia)
30. Piquillo and egg (Barcelona)
Paco Pérez's restaurant serves magnificent piquillo and egg croquettes “De Calaf”. (Paseo de Gracia, 116 / Barcelona)
31. Beans and turnip (El Baret de Miquel)
Miquel Ruiz's kitchen – the chef who gave up the Michelin star race – is as surprising and unclassifiable as his place and his food, of an overflowing creativity. And like their croquettes: rice with “fesols i naps” (beans and turnips), rice to band. Improvises on the letter, but whatever it is, your croquette will never be conventional. (Historian Palau, 1 / Denia – Alicante)
32. Spinach (The Greenhouse)
From Rodrigo de la Calle's green haute cuisine, only the best spinach croquettes could come out (photo @sexyvegetal). (Ponzano, 85 / Madrid)
33. Stilton cheese (Arima Basque Gastronomy)
Now on the menu, Stilton cheese and truffle; Sometimes, foie. (Ponzano, 51 / Madrid)
34. Garlic prawns (Lambuzo)
The croquettes of the menu change, but those of garlic prawns embroider them. (Concha, 9 / Madrid)
35. Assortment (La Almazara de Santa Rosalía)
His assortment of homemade croquettes, which includes truffle and pickled mussels, in addition to the classic, and delicious, Iberian ham is not usually missing in his letter. (Real, 14 / Torre Pacheco – Murcia)
36. Japanese (Okashi Sanda)
Right now in the letter, korokke potto (Japanese potato croquettes, with veal, sauteed with steamed carrots, shiitake mushrooms and spring onion) and kabocha korokke (Creamy croquettes of Japanese pumpkin, leek and vegetable cream). (San Vicente Ferrer, 22 / Madrid)
37. Cabrales (The Siphonería)
The best cabrales cheese croquettes in the world. (San Pelayo, 28 / Cangas de Onís – Asturias)
38. Lacon and egg (La Bien Aparecida)
The superb creamy boiled egg and lacon croquettes are the specialty of the house. (Jorge Juan, 8 / Madrid)
39. Kimchi (StreetXo)
In the Dabiz Muñoz bar, “croquettes of the Pedroche”, with kimchi, sheep's milk, tuna, XO sauce and lapsang souchong tea. (El Corte Inglés Serrano, 52 / Madrid)
40. Hake (Merchán Restaurant)
The best hake croquettes, in one of the best freidurías of the Malaga coast. (San Gabriel, 10 / San Pedro de Alcántara – Málaga)
41. Nutella with hazelnuts (Tortilla Fish)
There are many croquetry, Tortilla Fish is not; Or, at least, he not only has croquettes, but his letter impresses. The best, from Idiazabal with tomato confit, deer stew, chicken stew with garlic. And the sweets, like those of Oreo or those of Nutella and hazelnuts. (Fish, 36 / Madrid)
42. Nécoras (La Vaquería Montañesa)
Powerful croquettes of nécoras with a creamy bechamel made with fresh milk. (Blanca de Navarra, 8 / Madrid)
43. Curried Chicken (Coure)
Albert Ventura's curried chicken croquettes are a classic in Barcelona. (Marimon Passage, 20 / Barcelona)
44. Octopus (Galician Restaurant Madrid 1980)
The croquettes change, depending on the day and season; in letter, cod, blood sausage, cabrales with apple, in addition to the classic ham. Embroider the truffle and octopus. (San Modesto, 44 / Madrid)
45. Sepia (Paco Meralgo)
Your sepia croquette Obama, accompanied by an aioli base, is a staple of your letter. (Muntaner, 171 / Barcelona)
46. Sobrasada and honey (Salitre)
Memorable sobrasada and honey croquettes. (Cala Torrent, 68 / Sant Lluis – Menorca)
47. Tail with mushrooms (Suculent)
Oxtail croquettes with trumpets of death in Toni Romero's restaurant. (Rambla del Raval, 45 / Barcelona)
48. Boba Soup (Madrid)
On special occasions, Fernando Limón's restaurant serves takoyaki croquettes, the increasingly popular octopus japo balls. (Plaza de Guadarrama, 9 / Alpedrete – Madrid)
49. Crab (Saline)
Crab croquettes (or txangurro) are a classic on your bar menu. (Menorca, 4 / Madrid)
50. Sweets (Croq & Roll Croquetería)
Croquettes of everything (from seafood, from cod to la llauna, from hot dog…), but the sweets, like those from Nutella and mascarpone, dulce de leche and coconut, or those from chocolate, are spectacular. (Travesera de Gracia, 233 / Barcelona)