Lobster Croquettes

Ingredients

• 2 cups lobster meat, chopped
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 0.25 tsp mustard
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 cup Thick White Sauce
• breadcrumbs
• egg
• fat for deep frying
• Tomato Cream Sauce

Method

Fold the seasoned lobster meat — salt, mustard, cayenne, lemon juice — into the Thick White Sauce while it's still warm. This distributes the flavour evenly and helps the béchamel cling to the meat. Spread the mixture on a shallow tray and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. You need it completely set and chilled so the croquettes hold their shape during frying; warm or soft filling will burst through the breadcrumb jacket and leave you with greasy, collapsed shells.

Once cold and firm, divide the mixture into 8–10 equal portions. Shape each into a cylinder about 7 cm long and 2 cm thick, pressing firmly as you go — loose shaping splits open mid-fry. Set them on a cold plate while you prepare your coating station. This three-part breadcrumb-coating (called panure à l'anglaise) is non-negotiable: season your beaten egg with a pinch of salt, spread fine dried breadcrumbs in two shallow dishes. Working one croquette at a time, roll it in the first breadcrumb bed, shaking off excess, then dip fully into egg, then roll in the second breadcrumb bed, pressing gently so the crumb adheres. Let coated croquettes rest on a plate for 15 minutes — this sets the crust and stops the coating from sliding off.

Heat your fat (neutral oil or beef dripping, ideally) to 170°C. Use a thermometer; guessing gets you pale, soggy results. Slip the croquettes in gently, a few at a time — crowding drops the temperature and invites greasiness. They'll sink, then bob. Watch for the moment the exterior turns a deep mahogany gold and the croquette sounds crisp when you tap it with a spoon — roughly 4–5 minutes. This dark crust is deep-frying|the fried exterior that seals in the hot, creamy centre. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper for no more than a minute; longer and the residual heat turns the filling from silken to gluey.

Serve immediately with Tomato Cream Sauce on the side, not underneath. The croquette's integrity lasts only a few minutes once fried.