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Leek Croquettes

Small crispy croquettes, typically referred to as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These leek fritters offer a tasty fusion of hearty beef with the delicate, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks well and trim off the roots and the bulk of the green stalk. Slice in half along the length then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a deep pan and submerge with water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Drain the softened leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season well with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly using your fingers then mold a several scoops into a patty, shaping a slightly. Put on a platter and proceed for the rest of the ingredients.

Heat oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, brown the fritters in small batches until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this drops the heat of the oil.) Take out the ready patties to a plate lined with kitchen paper and permit to rest.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach and cheese croquettes are a true pleasure. The crispy outside gives way to a creamy filling. The fresh spinach brings a bright, slightly earthy note, while the dairy provides a rich, savory smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, mashed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

For raw spinach, wash it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Put in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about 15 mins, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until softened, about four minutes. Remove from the stove.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, spice, paprika, breading and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with seasoning. Mix well until blended. If the preparation looks too wet, add some more breading.

Using your hands, shape the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an egg, and put them on a tray lined with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a amount of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and moist center, these patties are not only delicious but also a highly healthy snack or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Add the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, pouring extra liquid to keep the pulses immersed if required.

Stir in the burghul and continue cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the