Pommes de Terre à la Saint-Florentin

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Digital scale for 1 1/2-ounce (43 g) portions
• •Two shallow coating dishes
• •Heavy 5-quart pot or home deep fryer
• •Clip-on deep-fry thermometer
• •Wire spider or slotted spoon
• •Wire rack set over a rimmed tray

Instructions

1. 1

   Fold in the ham

   Set the thoroughly chilled Potato Croquettes (No. 219) paste in a wide bowl and fold in the finely chopped lean ham with a flexible spatula. Mix only until the ham is evenly dispersed; kneading warms the butter and turns a firm croquette paste sticky. If the mixture begins to smear rather than hold a clean ridge, stop and chill it for 15 minutes. Ça se rattrape.

   Chop the ham finely enough that no piece can tear through the potato paste. The croquette should taste of ham throughout, not carry large cubes hidden inside.
2. 2

   Shape the corks

   Divide the mixture into 12 portions of about 1 1/2 ounces (43 g) each. With cold, dry hands, roll every portion into a short cork about 2 1/2 inches (6 cm) long, keeping the ends blunt and the surface free of cracks. Set them on a parchment-lined tray. If they cling to your fingers, return the tray to the cold rather than working flour into the paste; added flour would make the centre heavy.

3. 3

   Coat with vermicelli

   Put the beaten eggs in one shallow dish and the broken, uncooked vermicelli in another. Roll each cork through the egg, let the excess fall away, then roll it in vermicelli and press very lightly so the short strands take hold. Cover the entire surface, including both ends. Bare potato will open in the frying fat, so touch any gap with a little egg and more vermicelli rather than coating the whole piece twice.

4. 4

   Press into rectangles

   Set each coated cork back on the tray and press the top gently to flatten it, then square the two long sides with your fingers to make a compact rectangular croquette. This order matters: flattening after coating seats the vermicelli into the egg and gives the crust its close, deliberate shape. Press just enough to form the rectangle, never enough to squeeze paste through the coating.

5. 5

   Heat the frying fat

   Pour the frying fat into a heavy 5-quart pot, filling it no more than halfway, and heat it to 375°F (190°C). Hold the shaped croquettes in the refrigerator while the fat heats. A thermometer is the honest home equivalent of the brigade fryer: very hot means measured, not guessed. Keep the pot dry, leave room above the fat, and have a lid nearby for safety without ever covering the hot oil during frying.

6. 6

   Fry very hot

   Lower three croquettes at a time into the 375°F (190°C) fat and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until the vermicelli is crisp and evenly golden and the croquettes feel firm beneath the spider. Let the fat recover fully between batches. If one cracks and leaks, lift it out at once; the paste was too warm or the fat too cool. Ça se rattrape: chill the remaining croquettes for 15 minutes, return the fat to temperature, and continue. If the vermicelli darkens in less than a minute, lower the fat slightly to 365°F (185°C). Drain on a rack, never in a covered dish, and serve at once. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Choose lean, unsmoked cooked ham with a firm, dry texture. Watery sliced ham loosens the potato paste; if that's what you have, blot it thoroughly before chopping.
• •Use fine dried wheat vermicelli and leave it uncooked. Break it into very short lengths so it forms a close jacket around each croquette; long strands make gaps, while rice vermicelli behaves differently in the fat.
• •A rack preserves the crust better than a pile of paper towels. The underside stays crisp because air can circulate, and excess fat still falls away.
• •Serve the croquettes beside roast poultry, veal, or a plainly cooked green vegetable. They already carry ham, butter, and a proper crust, so they need no sauce poured over them.

Advance Preparation

• •The Potato Croquettes (No. 219) paste can be prepared and chilled a day ahead, tightly covered so its surface doesn't dry.
• •Fold in the ham and shape the corks up to 4 hours ahead, then cover and refrigerate them. Apply the egg and vermicelli shortly before frying so the coating remains dry and distinct.
• •If service is briefly delayed, hold the fried croquettes uncovered on a rack in a 250°F (120°C) oven for no more than 15 minutes. Covering traps moisture and softens the vermicelli.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 165g)