Kroket
Photo: Andy Mabbett · CC BY-SA 3.0

History

The kroket arrived in the Netherlands from France in the late 19th century and was industrialised by 1940s Dutch food companies. FEBO opened its first automat in 1941 on Ferdinand Bolstraat and codified the coin-operated hatch format the city still uses. Patisserie Holtkamp on Vijzelgracht runs the high-end version, the kalfsvlees kroket kept on the menu of the Krasnapolsky and Hotel de l'Europe for decades. The broodje kroket, served on a soft bun with mustard, is the Amsterdam-standard lunch.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield 10Hands-on 50 minTotal 5 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 500g beef shin or veal shank, on the bone if possible
  • 1.5L beef stock
  • 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bay leaf, 1 carrot, 2 cloves
  • 60g unsalted butter
  • 70g plain flour
  • 5 sheets leaf gelatine, soaked in cold water
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire, grating of nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
  • 100g plain flour, 3 eggs beaten and 200g panko or fine dried breadcrumbs for breading
  • 1L sunflower oil for frying
  • Sea salt, white pepper, soft white buns and mustard to serve

Method

  1. Simmer the beef in the stock with the onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf and cloves for 3 hours until the meat falls from the bone; lift out, cool slightly and shred into long strands. Strain and keep 500ml of the cooking liquid.
  2. Melt the butter in a wide pan, stir in the flour, cook 2 minutes to a blond roux.
  3. Whisk in the strained warm stock and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes to a very thick paste.
  4. Squeeze out the gelatine and dissolve into the hot ragout; fold in the shredded beef, mustard, Worcestershire, nutmeg, parsley, salt and white pepper.
  5. Spread the mix in a flat tin, cover and chill at least 4 hours until firm enough to shape (the gelatine is what gives the kroket its rebound).
  6. Divide into 10 portions, roll each on a floured board into 10cm by 3cm cylinders.
  7. Coat each kroket: flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs; repeat the egg and breadcrumb stage for a double crust.
  8. Fry the krokets in 180 degree Celsius oil for 3 to 4 minutes until deep gold. Serve hot, sliced lengthways into a soft bun with a swipe of mustard, or beside a small dish of mustard.

Tip from the editors. Gelatine is the Dutch kroket secret; without it the ragout collapses to a wet smear. Pat the breading firmly to set both layers, otherwise the shell splits in the fryer.

Where to eat kroket

Kroket in Amsterdam

FEBO Leidseplein ★ 3.7

€€ DutchUntil Sun-Thu 04:00, Fri-Sat 05:00

FEBO Leidseplein is the Amsterdam after-club default, hot kroketten behind little glass doors at 03:00, the late-night automatiek for the Leidseplein crowd.

TryKroket and bitterballen from the vending wall

Directions

Patisserie Holtkamp ★ 4.6

€ BakeryDutch patisserie and savoury croquettesWalk-in only

Patisserie Holtkamp on Vijzelgracht has run since 1886, the Amsterdam patisserie behind the Amsterdamse School storefront, its veal kroketten kept.

Worth the queueHoltkamp kalfsvlees kroket

Directions

Van Dobben ★ 4.5

€ Dutch

Van Dobben between Rembrandtplein and Muntplein has run an Amsterdam eetsalon since 1945, the rundvleeskroket on a soft white bun the city's reference.

TryBroodje kroket and rundvleeskroket

Directions

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