Kroket

Ragout

• beef shin500 g
• beef stock700 ml
• butter80 g
• plain flour80 g
• onions1
• bay leaves2
• flat-leaf parsley3 tbsp
• nutmeg¼ tsp
• Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
• salt
• black pepper

Coating

• plain flour100 g
• eggs3
• breadcrumbs250 g
• vegetable oil1 l
• mustard

Ragout

1. 01

   Halve the onion. Simmer the beef, covered, in the stock with the onion and the bay leaves for 2 hours, until it falls apart. Strain, discarding the onion and bay leaves and keeping 600 ml of the stock (top up with water if there is less), and shred the meat finely.

2. 02

   Melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes without colouring.

3. 03

   Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, whisking, until you have a very thick, smooth sauce that holds the whisk marks.

4. 04

   Chop the parsley and fold it in with the shredded beef, the nutmeg and the Worcestershire sauce, and season hard with salt and black pepper. It should taste slightly too strong; it will be milder cold.

5. 05

   Spread into a tray, press cling film onto the surface and refrigerate overnight, at least 8 hours, until firm enough to cut.

Shaping and frying

6. 06

   Cut the set ragout into 12 equal portions and roll each into a cylinder about 8 cm long with wet hands.

7. 07

   Beat the eggs. Roll each kroket in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Then egg and breadcrumbs again. The second coat is what stops them bursting.

8. 08

   Chill the coated krokets for another 30 minutes.

9. 09

   Heat the vegetable oil to 180°C in a deep, heavy pan about 18 cm across, so the oil is about 4 cm deep and the pan no more than a third full. Fry the krokets three at a time for 4 to 5 minutes, until deep brown.

10. 10

    Rest for 2 minutes and serve with the mustard.