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Leek Croquettes

Small pan-fried croquettes, typically known as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a tasty combination of hearty ground beef with the delicate, mildly sweet taste of leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Clean the green leeks well and cut away the roots and most of the green stalk. Cut lengthwise longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice liberally with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your palms then mold a several tablespoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a little. Set on a tray and continue for the remaining of the mixture.

Warm oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, fry the patties in batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready patties to a dish lined with paper towel and allow to drain.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a real treat. The golden crust reveals a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, somewhat earthy note, while the cheese offers a deep, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, crushed potato if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

For leafy greens, clean it carefully, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and cook the chopped onion and garlic until softened, about four minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix well until combined. If the preparation looks too soft, mix in some more crumbs.

With your fingers, mold the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, preheat cooking oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Brown the fritters a few at a time for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are golden completely, then place on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully nutritious snack or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Place the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, including additional water to ensure the pulses immersed if needed.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Strain the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Heat half of the