Tex-Mex Meat and Cheese Croquettes

Whisk the milk, flour, and taco seasoning together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat a skillet over medium heat with the oil. When hot, add the onion and cook 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the hamburger and a little salt and pepper. Brown and when done, drain very well. Add the meat to a food processor and whiz for a few seconds. Scrape down the bowl and repeat until the meat is finely ground.

Return the meat to the skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the scallions. Stir the flour mixture one more time and add it to the meat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or so. The mixture should be quite thick. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool then place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Once cooled, add the cheese to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Use a cookie scoop to get enough meat to form a small meatball. Bigger is NOT better here. If you get the meatballs too big, the interior will not get hot before the croquette browns. Roll the meatballs between your palms as you would when making meatballs to ensure the meatballs are round and the outside is smooth. Place the meatballs on wax paper.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the panko bread crumbs to a shallow dish or pie plate. Add a meatball to the egg whites and coat. Transfer to the bread crumbs and coat. Add a second layer of egg whites and bread crumbs – knocking off any excess. Set the croquette on a wax-paper lined sheet pan and repeat this process until you have used up all of the meatballs. Place the meatballs in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the coating to set. This step is important so don’t skip it.

Preheat about 3″ of oil in a pot – making sure not to add oil more than halfway up the pot. Heat the oil to 340F (the croquettes fry too quickly at higher temperatures). Fry a few croquettes at a time until they are golden brown – making sure not to overcrowd the oil. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with salt and serve piping hot with your favorite dipping sauce.