Cheese Bings

Name: Cheese Bings
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: makes about 40
Ingredients: 4 eggs; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups plus 1 tbsp. flour; 1 1 ⁄ 3 cups milk; Pinch freshly grated nutmeg; Salt; 1 ⁄ 2 tbsp. butter; 6 tbsp. butter; 6 tbsp. flour; 1 1 ⁄ 2 cups milk; Salt and freshly ground white pepper; 1 lb. swiss cheese, finely grated; 5 oz. cooked ham, finely chopped (about 1 1⁄4 cups); 5 eggs; Leaves of 1⁄4 bunch parsley, chopped; Pinch freshly grated nutmeg; Pinch cayenne; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. worcestershire sauce; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. Tabasco; Vegetable oil; 2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

Serves
makes about 40

This Trader Vic's creation is in effect an upscale version of the bechamel-bound ham croquettes popular in Spain and Latin America.

Ingredients

FOR THE CRÊPES:

4 eggs
1 ¹⁄₂ cups plus 1 tbsp. flour
1 ¹⁄₃ cups milk
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
¹⁄₂ tbsp. butter

FOR THE FILLING:

6 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
1 ¹⁄₂ cups milk
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 lb. swiss cheese, finely grated
5 oz. cooked ham, finely chopped (about 1 1⁄4 cups)
5 eggs
Leaves of 1⁄4 bunch parsley, chopped
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
¹⁄₂ tsp. worcestershire sauce
¹⁄₄ tsp. Tabasco
Vegetable oil
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

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Instructions

Step 1

For the crepes: Whisk eggs and flour together in a medium bowl. Add milk and whisk until smooth. Add nutmeg and season to taste with salt. Strain batter through a sieve into a bowl and set aside. Heat a 12" nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Swirl butter in skillet, then pour in 1⁄2 cup of the batter. Working quickly, swirl batter to coat skillet evenly. Cook until edges are golden brown, 1 1⁄2-2 minutes. Turn with a spatula and cook second side until golden, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer crepe to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.

Step 2

For the filling: Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and gradually add milk, whisking constantly until smooth. Return pot to medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until thick, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Add cheese, ham, 2 of the eggs, parsley, nutmeg, cayenne, worcestershire, and Tabasco and mix well. Adjust seasonings and set aside.

Step 3

Cut 4 of the crepes in half (save any remaining crepes for another use). Lay 1 crepe half on a work surface with straight edge closest to you. Spread one-quarter of the filling along straight edge, shaping the mixture into a log. Roll crepe snugly around filling jelly roll style (crepe will not cover filling entirely). Put crepe seam side down on a wax paper-lined sheet pan. Repeat process with remaining 3 crepes and filling. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Pour oil into a large heavy pot to a depth of 2" and heat over medium-high heat until temperature registers 350° on a candy thermometer. Meanwhile, beat remaining eggs in a wide bowl. Put bread crumbs into another wide bowl. Trim ends of each crepe, then cut crepes on the bias into 1"-thick slices. Coat each slice in egg, then dredge in bread crumbs. Working in small batches, deep-fry cheese bings, turning once, until golden all over, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a rack to let drain, and season to taste with salt, if you like, while still hot. Serve hot.