Pumpkin Croquettes

Ingredients:

1 kg pumpkin, washed, peeled, de-seeded and cut into chunks (weigh after preparing)
100g butter
sea salt and black pepper to taste
freshly-grated nutmeg, to taste
130ml water
35g unsalted butter
1 pinch salt
105g plain flour
2 eggs
2–3 eggs, lightly whisked
fresh breadcrumbs

Method:

Fill a large pan with water, add a little salt and the pumpkin. Bring to the boil and keep a rolling boil until the pumpkin has cooked (about 20 mins). Once the pumpkin pieces are ready, drain them then lay out on a baking tray and bake in a warm oven for five minutes to dry them out. Pass the pumpkin through a fine sieve, add the butter and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Make a Choux pastry by putting the water and 35g butter in a pan. Bring to the boil then beat in the flour and take off the heat. Now beat in the eggs one by one until the batter becomes smooth. Combine this pastry with the pumpkin and, with floured hands, shape into sausages (no more than 3cm in diameter) from the mixture and lay on a floured tray. When you're done place the tray in the refrigerator for at least twenty minutes to chill the croquettes.

When ready dip the chilled pumpkin croquettes first into flour then into whisked eggs and finally into breadcrumbs. Make certain they're properly covered then drop into a deep fat fryer pre-heated to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). Do not add to many at a time and fry for about five minutes or until they are an uniform golden brown in colour. Drain on paper towels and serve. Alternatively they can be fried for about 3 minutes before being frozen and then de-frosted before being fried again before serving.

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