Name: Colin Fassnidge’s crisp ham and cheese balls with mustard crème fraîche
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 12 - 14
Ingredients: 1 onion, thickly sliced; 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped; 1 tbsp thyme leaves; 2 rosemary sprigs; 2 tbsp olive oil; 500 ml milk (2 cups); 160 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 560 gm plain flour; 110 gm aged English Cheddar, coarsely grated; 3 tsp seeded mustard; 3 tsp hot English mustard; 5 eggs, whisked, for eggwash; 280 gm soft fine white breadcrumbs (4 cups); Poached ham hocks; 2 ham hocks (650gm each); 2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped; 1 carrot, coarsely copped; 1 onion, coarsely copped; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 fresh bay leaf; ½ tsp black peppercorns; Mustard crème fraîche; 250 gm crème fraîche; 30 gm wholegrain mustard; 20 gm Dijon mustard; 10 gm hot English mustard; Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Colin Fassnidge’s crisp ham and cheese balls with mustard crème fraîche

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for crisp ham and cheese balls with mustard crème fraîche by Colin Fassnidge.

Serves 12 - 14

Prep

Cook

Total

Ingredients

1 onion, thickly sliced

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1 tbsp thyme leaves

2 rosemary sprigs

2 tbsp olive oil

500 ml milk (2 cups)

160 gm butter, coarsely chopped

560 gm plain flour

110 gm aged English Cheddar, coarsely grated

3 tsp seeded mustard

3 tsp hot English mustard

5 eggs, whisked, for eggwash

280 gm soft fine white breadcrumbs (4 cups)

Poached ham hocks

2 ham hocks (650gm each)

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely copped

1 onion, coarsely copped

2 thyme sprigs

1 fresh bay leaf

½ tsp black peppercorns

Mustard crème fraîche

250 gm crème fraîche

30 gm wholegrain mustard

20 gm Dijon mustard

10 gm hot English mustard

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

Main

1.For poached ham hocks, combine hocks in a large saucepan with vegetables, herbs and peppercorns, and cover with 3 litres of water (hock should be completely submerged). Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until bones easily pull out and meat falls off (2½ hours). Cool hocks in stock, then remove meat, coarsely chop and reserve (you should have 375gm meat). Reserve 500ml ham stock (strained).

2.Combine onion, garlic and herbs in a saucepan with olive oil and stir occasionally over medium heat until tender (5-6 minutes). Add reserved stock and milk, and bring to the boil, then simmer over medium heat for flavours to infuse (2 minutes), strain into a bowl (discard solids) and cool (10 minutes).

3.Melt butter in a separate saucepan over medium-high heat, then add 160gm flour and stir continuously until sand-coloured (blond roux) with a sandy texture (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat. Gradually add reserved milk mixture, whisking continuously until smooth and incorporated. Return to medium heat and stir continuously until mixture bubbles (3-4 minutes). Add hock meat and grated Cheddar, and cook until cheese melts (3 minutes). Stir in mustards and season to taste, then pour into a 3-litre plastic container and refrigerate until set and firm enough to cut (2-3 hours). Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate until required.

4.Place remaining flour, egg and breadcrumbs in separate bowls. Working with a cheese ball at a time, first dust with flour and tap off excess. Dip floured ball into egg and then breadcrumbs, then repeat egg and crumb stage so the balls have 2 coatings and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until required.

5.For mustard crème fraîche, combine ingredients (see note), then transfer to a serving bowl.

6.Preheat a deep-fryer to 160C and deep-fry cheese balls in batches, turning, until golden brown and hot on the inside (2-3 minutes; take care, hot oil will spit). Drain on absorbent paper and serve immediately with mustard crème fraîche.