Ingredients:

• 2 cups short-grain rice
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 4 cups chicken broth or 4 cups water with chicken bullion cube
• 10 oz chorizo sausage (if you can not find dried chorizo, remove casings and cook through before adding to recipe)
• Seasoned flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 Tbsp milk
• Bread crumbs
• Oil, to fry
• Parsley

Makes 32 croquettes

1. In a large stock pot, combine rice, diced onion, bay leaf, garlic, chicken stock (or water with bullion), olive oil, and turmeric. (You can add a few strands of saffron for extra flavor)

2. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat then reduce temperature to low and simmer covered until the liquid is absorbed (approximately 15 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

3. If using raw chorizo, remove meat from casings and cook through over medium high. If using dried chorizo, grind the meat in a food processor. Add the meat to the cold rice and mix well.

4. Form the mix into even size balls, roll the rice balls in flour seasoned with salt and pepper until lightly covered.

5. Roll each ball in the egg wash and then in the bread crumbs.

6. Deep-fry in hot oil (365°), until golden and crispy on the outside. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

When do we EAT? Can we Entertain first?:
If you are entertaining, you can make the croquettes though step 5 and then refrigerate them before frying. Once your guests arrive, you can fry the croquettes, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

The croquettes can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave. You can also freeze the croquettes for later and reheat them in the microwave or a warm oven.

Who helped?
This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe found in The Tapas Cookbook by Adrian Linssen and Sara Cleary (published by New Burlington Books Copyright © 1999). The book includes seventy delicious recipes to capture the flavors of Spain and I have made many wonderful recipes from it including Chicken in Batter with Honey and Mustard and Artichoke Hearts with Tomato and Lemon.