Hof der dingen - Shrimp croquette: A culinary treat

If there’s one culinary treasure every coastal resident is proud of, it’s North Sea shrimp. There’s no limit to what you can do with it: croquettes, soup, add them to a salad, … 

The consumption of common shrimp is popular in Belgium, the Netherlands, northern Germany, and Denmark. It’s the basis of the famous Belgian dish tomate-crevettes, where the shrimp are mixed with mayonnaise and fresh parsley and served in a hollowed-out uncooked tomato. Freshly cooked, unpeeled shrimp are often served as a snack accompanying beer. There’s no limit to what you can do with it! The cookbook The Frugal Cookbook published in 1868, mentioned several recipes using shrimp as a bake, specifically a dish consisting of shrimp in a béchamel sauce and a shrimp pot pie. 

The shrimp croquette is another Belgian speciality, where the shrimp form the base of a delicious croquette filled with béchamel sauce. The story goes that the recipe was thought of during wartime. Nowadays, shrimp are quite expensive, with several factors contributing to the price increase – including a decline in catches and rising demand. A hundred years ago, however, shrimp were abundant and sold at an affordable price. 

During World War I, the people back home wanted the soldiers at the Yser front to enjoy this delicacy as well. They decided to preserve the shrimp by preparing them in a kind of savoury pastry. The shrimp croquette was born to never disappear again. 

Crafting a tasty shrimp croquette takes true skill. Every cook’s worst nightmare is the croquette bursting open during the frying process. A proper croquette requires a creamy filling and a perfectly crispy crust. 

Almost every chef has their own secret recipe. Who could forget the legendary TV appearance of rock singer Arno on a cooking show? He confessed to occasionally spitting into his filling – claiming it improved the firmness of the croquette. It led to a hilarious moment in Flemish television history - although we’re sure he was joking. Or wasn’t he? 

Today, the success of the shrimp croquette has spread far and wide. The Ostend shrimp croquette has even been officially recognised as a Flemish regional product. What makes this specific croquette so unique? It needs to be made with hand-peeled shrimp caught by local fishermen, the filling must contain at least 30% shrimp, and be prepared within a 10-kilometre radius of Ostend. 

Curious to taste this savoury delight yourself? Then head to the Ostend Shrimp Croquette Festival in October, where eleven local restaurants present their handcrafted versions to the ever-growing audience. But you’ll need to be quick - tickets sell out fast every year!