Garnaalkroketten, as they are called in Flemish, are a point of national pride on the Belgian coast. They are made with grey shrimp, the tiny, sweet, brownish shrimp of the North Sea, which are peeled, ideally by hand, a labor of patience that explains the price. The shrimp are folded into a very thick sauce made from their own shells, chilled until firm, shaped into fat little cylinders, breaded and fried. Ostend even holds a festival at which local restaurants compete for the best croquette.

They appear on almost every brasserie menu in Belgium, usually two to a plate as a starter, with lemon and a handful of deep fried parsley. Breaking one open is the moment of truth: the filling should flow gently, never run. They take some planning, as the filling must set overnight, but they can be made weeks ahead and fried from frozen, which is about as convenient as Belgian luxury gets.

The shrimp filling

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) shrimp shell stock or fish stock
• about 8 oz (225 g) shrimp shells and heads
• 1 small shallot
• 4 sheets (about 8 g) gelatin sheets
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter
• 2/3 cup (85 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
• 10 oz (280 g) cooked peeled grey shrimp
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• to taste fine salt, white pepper and a pinch of cayenne or grated nutmeg

Method

1. If you have shells, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the medium saucepan, add the shallot and shells and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) of water, simmer gently for 20 minutes, then strain through the fine sieve, pressing hard on the shells. Measure out 1 1/4 cups (300 ml). Without shells, simply soften the shallot in the butter and add 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of fish stock.
2. Put the gelatin sheets in the small bowl of cold water for 5 minutes, or sprinkle the powder over 3 tablespoons of cold water and leave it.
3. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in the heavy saucepan over medium heat, add the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Take it off the heat and whisk in the warm stock a little at a time, then the milk, until smooth. Return to the heat and cook, whisking constantly and scraping the edges with the spatula, for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Take the pan off the heat. Squeeze the water from the gelatin sheets and whisk them in until melted, or stir in the swollen powder. Whisk the egg yolks and cream together in a cup, add a large spoonful of the hot sauce to warm them, then whisk the mixture back into the pan.
5. Fold in the shrimp, lemon juice and parsley with the spatula. Season with salt, white pepper and a little cayenne or nutmeg. Taste it: it should be well seasoned, since chilling and breading both dull flavor.
6. Line the square dish with plastic wrap and spread the filling in it about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Press another sheet of plastic wrap onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Shaping and breading

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (65 g) all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (90 g) panko or coarse dried breadcrumbs

Method

1. Lift the set filling out of the dish using the plastic wrap and cut it into 12 equal pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each into a cylinder about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Work quickly and put them on the lined baking sheet as you go.
2. Set out three shallow dishes: flour, beaten egg, then breadcrumbs. Roll each cylinder in flour and tap off the excess, dip it in egg so it is coated all over, let it drip, then roll it in the crumbs, pressing so they stick. For an extra crunchy shell, dip in egg and crumbs a second time.
3. Chill the breaded croquettes on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes, or freeze them on the sheet and then transfer to a freezer bag once hard.

Frying, with fried parsley

Ingredients

• about 6 cups (1.4 liters) sunflower or peanut oil
• 1 large bunch curly parsley
• 2 lemons
• a pinch flaky salt

Method

1. Pour the oil into the deep pan to a depth of about 3 inches (7.5 cm), filling it no more than a third full, and heat it over medium heat to 350°F (175°C).
2. Lower 3 or 4 croquettes at a time into the oil with the slotted spoon and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning them gently, until deep golden. From frozen, fry for 5 to 6 minutes. Lift onto paper towels and let the oil come back to temperature between batches.
3. Turn off the heat under the oil and wait 1 minute. Stand back and drop in the completely dry parsley in two batches. It will spit. Fry for 20 to 30 seconds, lift out onto paper towels and sprinkle with flaky salt.

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