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Leek Croquettes

Small fried fritters, often known as keftedes, are a beloved speciality in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters offer a tasty blend of rich beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of tender leeks, and they are utterly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Wash the leeks well and trim off the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Chop in half along the length then into half-inch slices. Place in a large skillet and fill with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor generously with salt and pepper. Stir well using your palms then form a couple of tablespoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Place on a platter and repeat for the rest of the mixture.

Warm oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in small batches until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the cooked fritters to a dish lined with absorbent paper and allow to rest.

Present with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a true pleasure. The crunchy crust gives way to a soft interior. The fresh spinach brings a fresh, moderately earthy flavor, while the cheese provides a savory, savory creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with boiled, mashed potatoes if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

For fresh spinach, rinse it well, getting rid of any tough stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a deep pan with a little hot water over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then press out any excess liquid and reserve.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium heat and saute the diced onion and garlic until tender, about a few minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and spice with salt and pepper. Stir well until combined. If the preparation appears too wet, incorporate some additional breadcrumbs.

By hand, mold the dough into elongated patties somewhat larger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, preheat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown all over, then transfer on paper towel.

Serve with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely nutritious appetizer or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Put the lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, adding more water to keep the pulses immersed if needed.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Drain the mixture well and put aside in a bowl.

Preheat half of the