Adobo mushroom croquettes

Bring the sugar, vinegar and water for the pickled mushrooms to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat and let cool

Once cool, combine 175 ml pickling liquid with the sherry vinegar, confit garlic and shimeji. Seal in a sterilised container and let pickle at room temperature for 2 hours

For the adobo sauce, mix together the soy sauce, white vinegar, garlic and black peppercorns

Sauté the mushrooms for the filling in a pan over medium heat until they're browned and have released their moisture. 

Add 120 ml adobo sauce to the mushrooms, mix well, and cook until the mixture thickens. Set aside to cool

For the béchamel, in a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant but not browned

Stir in the flour to create a roux. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly, to remove the raw flour taste

Gradually whisk in the milk, ensuring there are no lumps. Continue to cook and stir until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste

Combine the béchamel sauce with the cooled mushroom mixture. If the mixture is too soft to shape, let it cool in the refrigerator until it firms up

Once the mushroom and béchamel mixture is cool and manageable, shape into small balls or croquettes

Dip each croquette first into the beaten egg, then roll in bread crumbs to coat evenly

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or a deep pan to 175°C. Fry the croquettes in batches until they are golden brown and crispy, about 4-5 minutes

Drain on paper towels to remove excess oil before serving topped with a pickled shimeji mushroom