- To mark Croquette Day, Lafayette showcases one of its most delicious and innovative snacks: the duck confit croquette, pure creaminess.
- Lafayette, a former dairy in Chamartín with a very special décor and atmosphere, has just launched its Sunday brunch (€47.50 per person), which includes this very French-style croquette.
- The croquette is a snack of French origin.
If there is one thing that Spaniards almost universally love and passionately defend, it is undoubtedly the croquette. Elevated to cult status and present in the kitchens of the most illustrious and popular establishments, it even has its own commemorative day. Croquette Day is celebrated on 16 January. This delicious snack, which curiously enough is of French origin, is masterfully prepared at Brasserie Lafayette (Recaredo 2, Madrid), one of the leading French restaurants in the capital. Here they boast their duck confit croquette (€2 each), a smooth and exceptionally creamy snack, with a béchamel sauce enriched with this confit poultry meat that provides a simply exquisite flavour. For a unique punch, it has a touch of orange marmalade.
The croquette is one of the most iconic dishes in Spanish cuisine, but as is well known, it originates from France. In fact, its name derives from the verb croquer (to crunch) and, more directly, from the adjective croquette (meaning crispy). But in its origins, dating back to the 17th century, it was not as we know it today. As Sébastien Leparoux, founder and sommelier at Brasserie Lafayette, explains, they were a kind of pastry that did not include béchamel sauce, also French, until the 19th century. “The croquette recipe seems to have arrived in Spain with the War of Independence, and it soon became one of the most popular dishes due to its versatility. At Lafayette, we honour the Spanish croquette, which is so creamy, but we offer a very French version, with one of our most emblematic meat preparations and a slight citrus touch with a hint of orange marmalade, which goes perfectly with it.”
In addition to being on the menu, the croquette is part of the selection of starters on Lafayette’s new brunch menu (€47.5€ per person), a spectacular late breakfast served on Sundays, by reservation, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Refined and delicious, it includes coffee or tea, orange juice or a cocktail, several starters (in addition to the croquette, other French delicacies such as foie gras with brioche), four main courses to choose from and two delicious desserts.
Source: THE NEWS ROOM