Carolina Sosa - Cuba

I’m honored to share the recipe for croquetas from my family, who immigrated from Cuba to Miami in the 1980s. Originally from Spain, croquetas evolved into a Cuban culinary staple and comfort food. For example, after a long day of travel, I once had a woman approach me at the airport and asked if I was Cuban or Spanish as I stopped for a snack. When I said Cuban, she laughed and said only a true Cuban or Spanish woman would be eating a croqueta on the floor at 4 a.m.

This cherished recipe, passed down through generations, transforms every meal into a celebration of rich cultural heritage for me and my family. It symbolizes resilience and cultural preservation for those exiled after the revolution. As my family celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, we reflect on how memories aren’t just held in photographs or landmarks but are vibrantly kept alive through the shared experience of food—bridging distances and bringing people together. Enjoy!

Recipe:

2 cups of ground cooked ham

2 cups of milk

2 tablespoons of ground or finely chopped onions

10 tablespoons of wheat flour

¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon of white pepper

2 tablespoons of butter or oil

1 teaspoon of finely chopped parsley

2 eggs

Ground soda crackers or breadcrumbs to coat

Sauté: Sauté the onion with the butter and add your pepper, nutmeg and parsley. When it’s fully sauteed, remove from the heat and add the ham. Mix well.

Mix and refrigerate: Separately, add the flour to the milk until mixed; this is best achieved using a blender. Incorporate this mixture into the ham. Then, place it back on the heat, stirring constantly until it’s no longer sticking to the bottom. (It should look and feel like a dough.) Move the thickened dough to a dish and refrigerate for approximately 4 to 5 hours, or until fully chilled.

Prepare and fry: Remove the dough from the cold, grab a small chunk and knead it into a croquette log shape using your palm. Then, roll the croquette in ground crackers or breadcrumbs, dip it into your beaten eggs and roll it in the crackers or breadcrumbs once again. Repeat this process and fry them in oil until golden brown.

This recipe makes 38 croquettes.

Substitutions: This same recipe can be prepared using meat, chicken and fish (traditionally dried and salted codfish). Since the ham and codfish already contain salt, you must add it when preparing with meat, chicken or other fish. Butter can be used as a substitute for oil except when preparing with seafood.