As a preview to the world’s greatest restaurant festival - and as part of our food month this April - we have teamed up Taste of London to offer an exclusive recipe for stylist.co.uk readers.

Today Ben Tish, executive chef, at the Opera Tavern, shares his recipe for jamon croquettas with manchego sauce. Perfect for a tapas-style starter, for more delicious details, read on below...

Jamon croquettas with manchego sauce

Ingredients

Makes 6 aproximately portions

Croquettas mix

• 600ml milk
• 125g plain flour
• 87g finely diced jamon iberico
• 1 quarter of an onion-finely diced 60g or so, sweated down
• Salt and pepper
• Half bunch chopped flat leaf parsley
• Eggs
• Fresh-dried breadcrumbs to panne the croquettas mix

Manchego sauce

• 1 litre of double cream, reduced by half
• 200g aged manchego-grated

Method

For the croquettas

Step 1: Heat the milk in a large saucepan.

Step 2: Melt the butter in another pan and then stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook out the roux for a few minutes until thick, cooked but un-coloured. Gradually whisk in the milk until fully incorporated and continue to cook slowly ensuring it thickens well.

Step 3: Add the onions, jamon and parsley and season well to taste. Mix until fully incorporated.

Step 4: Pour the mix onto a tray and cool fully.

Step 5: Shape the mix with two spoons into quenelles and panne in flour then egg and finally the breadcrumbs.

For the sauce

Step 6: Simply whisk the grated manchego into the warm cream and season well to taste. Pass through a sieve and keep warm.

Step 7: Fry the croquettas to order in a deep fryer set at 180°C until golden brown and crispy. Drain well and then serve with a drizzle of the manchego sauce and a sprinkle of garlic chives.

Tickets are now on sale for the world’s greatest restaurant festival, Taste of London, which will return to London’s Regent’s Park between 21-24 June and celebrate the best of world class cuisine. To book tickets go to tastefestivals.com/london