Ham Croquettes
(this is frugal Spanish dish. It was one of my father's favorite dishes. Depending on the form of the croquettes, you can serve them as appetizer or as the main dish)

3 1/2 cups cooked ham, ground in a processor (my mother used her meat grinder)
2 cups white sauce, see below
1 Tbsp. minced parsley (I prefer cilantro chopped)
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. onion, minced (I cho a small onion, well chopped)
1 tsp oregano (this is optional, it is my own addition, directly to the white sauce)
pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups freshly made breadcrumbs
1 egg
vegetable oil for deep frying

Combine the ham, sauce, parsley, mustard, onion and pepper in a bowl and blend well. If the mixture is warm, chill in the refrigerator until firm. Put the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish, and in another dish beat the egg with 1 tbsp. water. Shape the meat into 1 1/2 inch balls or cylinders. Roll them in the crumbs, then dip in the egg and roll in the crumbs again. Let the croquettes dry in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to set the coating. Fill a skillet
half way up with vegetable oil and heat to about 360 degrees. Fry a few croquettes at a time
without crowding until they are nicely browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

White Sauce
This is the normal white sauce that is the basis for many dishes. (Bechamel variation)

4 Tbsp. Butter
4 Tbsp. Flour
2 cups heated milk
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but do not let it brown-about 2-3 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir, as the sauce thickens. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, stirring, for 2 or 3 more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. If you are making this in advance, cover it with wax paper or pour a little milk over the top so it does not form a skin. If you do not like to make white sauce you can buy the powdered packages of white sauce and use 2 for this recipe.