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1
Make the béchamel at twice the standard ratio. Melt 60 g butter in a heavy saucepan, add 60 g flour, and stir over moderate heat to a pale roux. Pour in 300 ml whole milk, whisking without pause, and cook until the mixture thickens to an almost paste-like consistency — far stiffer than a standard béchamel. Season assertively. The béchamel is ready when it pulls cleanly from the sides of the pan and holds its shape on a spoon.
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2
Fold the 5 mm brunoise of the chosen main ingredient into the hot béchamel and stir to distribute evenly. Spread the mixture on a flat tray to a depth of exactly 1.5 cm. Press a sheet of cling film directly onto the surface and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours. The filling is ready when it is completely firm and holds a clean edge when pressed with a finger.
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3
Turn the set salpicon onto a board and cut into rectangles of 6 cm × 3 cm — this is the maximum size at which the centre can heat through before the exterior over-browns. Lay each rectangle on a thin crêpe, fold the crêpe snugly around it, and press the seam closed. The parcel should be compact, with no gaps through which béchamel can escape.
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4
Dip each crêpe-wrapped parcel in beer batter (or coat by paner à l'anglaise), ensuring a complete, even layer with no bare patches. If using paner à l'anglaise, press the crumbs gently to adhere.
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5
Heat the frying oil to 175 °C — deliberately lower than the standard 180 °C to allow the thick filling time to heat through. Lower the cromesquis into the oil in batches without crowding and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. The cromesquis are done when the batter is deeply golden and shatters to light pressure, and the interior, tested by probing one cromesqui, is molten but not leaking.
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6
Lift the cromesquis from the oil and drain briefly. Serve immediately — two per person — on a folded napkin, garnished with fried parsley and accompanied by Sauce Périgueux (for chicken) or Sauce Nantua (for lobster). The interior remains molten only at the moment of service.