Ingredients:
- 350g parsnips peeled and quartered
- 2tsp olive oil
- 25g unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 25g creamed horseradish
- 75g plain flour
- 2 eggs beaten
- 85g breadcrumbs
Béchamel sauce:
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour
- 300ml full fat milk
- 75g grated strong cheddar
- 1tsp dijon mustard (optional)
- 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 100g grated gruyere
Method:
- Heat oven to 160C. Put the parsnips in a roasting tin with the oil and roast until golden and soft. Remove from the oven.
- To make the béchamel, melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the flour and whisk until combined, and cook for a further 1 minute. Add the milk gradually, whisking after each addition until combined. Return to a low heat and cook, stirring, until thick. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until the cheese has melted.
- Once the parsnips have cooled slightly, purée in a food processor and set aside. Add the shallots, garlic and olive oil to a pan over a low heat and cook until soft and golden. Tip into a large bowl with the parsnip purée, béchamel and horseradish. Season to taste, cover and cool. When almost cold, spoon into a piping bag and pipe into 3cm-thick lengths onto a baking parchment-lined tray. Freeze for 1 hr until firm but not completely frozen. Remove from the freezer and cut into 5cm lengths. Coat the croquettes in the flour, dip in the egg, roll in the panko breadcrumbs, then place on a parchment-lined tray. Chill or freeze until needed.
- To fry your croquettes, use a deep-fat fryer or half-fill a heavy-based medium saucepan with vegetable oil and heat to 180C. Cook in small batches until golden and cooked through. Lift the croquettes from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Put on a warmed plate and cover with foil until ready to serve.