Multi-seed cheese straws
Make cheese straws with the added flavours of sesame and poppy seeds, dried onion flakes and sea salt. They're great snacks to serve with cocktails
Tip the pancetta into a cold medium saucepan and set over a medium heat. This encourages the fat to render, making the pancetta extra crisp. Cook for 8-10 mins, until crisp and golden. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain. Set aside.
In the same pan, melt the butter over a medium heat until foaming. Add the nutmeg, mustard powder, paprika, thyme and 40g of the flour, and season. Cook for 1 min, until fragrant. Slowly add the milk, bit by bit, whisking constantly, until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Remove from the heat, and stir in the cranberry sauce, cheddar and pancetta, mixing well. Season with a little salt and lots of black pepper. Scrape into a shallow bowl, then cover and chill in the fridge for about 2 hrs until cold and solid.
Tip the remaining 50g flour into a shallow bowl, the eggs in a second shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third. Using slightly wet hands, form the mix into torpedo shapes, weighing about 25g. Gently roll in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs. Arrange on a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Put in the fridge to chill for at least 30 mins. Will keep covered and frozen for up to three months.
Fill a saucepan no more than a third full with oil. Heat to 180C, or if you don’t have a thermometer, a cube of bread dropped in should brown in 15 seconds. Carefully add a few croquettes to the pan at a time, and cook for 4-5 mins, until golden and crisp. To cook from frozen, fry for 5-6 mins. Remove from the oil using a slotted spoon or spider and drain on a wire rack. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve with extra cranberry sauce for dipping.