Tom Kerridge’s smoked ham croquettes

Method

1. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. Stir in 50g of the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk, keeping the mixture smooth. When it’s all added, cook over a very low heat for 10 minutes more or until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, the nutmeg and mustards. Mix in the ham and mozzarella. Transfer the mixture to a tray, then chill in the fridge for 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the chutney. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, add the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes to soften. Add the chilli and apple and cook for a further 4-5 minutes until the apple is softened. Add the cider vinegar, sugar  and 150ml water. Increase the heat to high and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until you have a jammy consistency. Take off the heat, leave to cool slightly, then taste for seasoning.
3. Take the tray from the fridge, divide the mixture into 20-24 even-size pieces and roll each into a log. Put on a clean tray and into the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.
4. Tip the remaining 80g flour into a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Put the eggs in a second bowl and add a little seasoning. Put the breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
5. Take the tray from the freezer. Dip each log into the flour to coat well (see tips), then into the eggs and lastly intothe breadcrumbs, turning to coat all over. Put the logs on a tray in the freezer until ready to cook.
6. You’ll need to cook the croquettes in batches. Heat the oven to 130°C fan/gas 2. Take the tray from the freezer and heat a 5cm depth of oil in a sauté pan to 180°C. Lower the logs into the oil and cook for 5-6 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep warm in the oven while you cook the rest.
7. Once they’re all cooked, sprinkle the croquettes with a little extra salt, then serve with the apple and chilli chutney.