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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized fried fritters, typically referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These particular leek fritters deliver a flavorful blend of rich beef with the delicate, mildly sweet taste of leeks, making them utterly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks properly and cut away the roots and most of the green tops. Chop lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a large skillet and fill with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Drain the leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice liberally with pepper and salt. Mix well using your hands then shape a several spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Place on a platter and proceed for the rest of the preparation.

Preheat oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, brown the fritters in batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked croquettes to a plate covered with kitchen paper and allow to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These spinach with cheese fritters are a true delight. The crispy exterior opens up to a smooth interior. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the dairy offers a rich, umami richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

For leafy greens, rinse it well, discarding any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once softened, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Combine well until incorporated. If the preparation looks too wet, incorporate some more breading.

Using your hands, form the dough into oval shapes somewhat larger than a walnut but more compact than an chicken egg, and put them on a tray covered with wax paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, heat oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy all over, then put on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a crispy exterior and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely wholesome bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the lentils in a pan and cover with plenty of water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, pouring more water to ensure the lentils immersed if required.

Stir in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the