Herby cheese croquettes with spicy tomato sauce recipe

The mature Swiss cheese in this recipe goes perfectly with the fiery tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• 125g Emmental, finely grated
• 100g goat’s cheese log, rind removed and crumbled
• 285g fresh white breadcrumbs
• 2 spring onions, finely chopped
• 2tsp English mustard powder
• 2tbsp snipped fresh chives
• 1tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 eggs
• Plain flour for dusting
• Vegetable oil for deep or shallow frying
• Salt and ground black pepper

For the spicy tomato sauce

• 50g unsalted butter
• 1/2tsp ground coriander
• 1/2tsp fennel seeds
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2tsp chilli powder
• 300g cherry tomatoes, halved

Method

1. Combine the two cheeses, 200g breadcrumbs, spring onions, mustard and herbs and season with salt and pepper. Add 1 whole egg and separate the remaining egg. Add the egg yolk to the cheese mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. Shape into 12 small sausage shapes and place on a tray and chill for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile make the tomato sauce. In a frying pan, melt the butter and add the ground coriander, fennel seeds, spring onions, cumin and garlic and gently cook until the spices start releasing their fragrant bouquet. Add the chilli powder and the tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes until saucy and tomatoes have softened. Keep warm.
3. Whisk the egg white until lightly frothy. Roll the sausages in a little flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip each one into egg white and then roll in the remaining breadcrumbs until well coated. Set aside.
4. Carefully heat the vegetable oil in a deep pan until a cube of bread browns in 1 min 30 secs. Deep-fry the sausages (in batches) for about 4-5 mins until golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and serve with the tomato sauce.