Dutch Shrimp Croquettes

Peel the shrimps (per kg, approximately 300 g of shrimp is left over) and keep the caps. Fry the shallot in a bit of butter. Stir in the shrimp caps and add water. Bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool down. Pour the stock through a sieve and collect the fluid. Throw away the shrimp caps. There still remains 5/6 of the stock. Let it cool down.

For the roux, melt the butter in a pan with a thick bottom. Let the butter fizz, but prevent it from turning brown. Use a whisk to stir in the flour. Let the mixture continue to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it is of a golden-yellow color and the mass releases from the pan. Gradually pour the broth and the milk into the roux at the same time, adding a little after the previous quantity has been absorbed. Keep stirring.

Let the ragout cook for a while until the flour is tender. Taste, and remove the pan from the heat when the ragout shines and no longer tastes mealy. Stir in the squeezed gelatine leaves.

Whisk egg whites and cream together. Incorporate the egg mixture with the ragout. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and a couple of drops of tabasco. Add the peeled shrimp and then the chopped parsley to the ragout and stir. Cover the ragout and place in the fridge overnight.

Use an ice cream scoop to make balls of ragout, approximately 60 g each. Roll these through the fine bread crumbs on the work place, until forming the shape of a croquette. Whisk the eggs and add the flour. Dip the croquettes in the egg mixture, and then dip them into the big bread crumbs. Fry the croquettes in oil at 180°C for 3 minutes.