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Leek Croquettes

Petite fried fritters, often known as keftedes, are a beloved delicacy in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a delicious blend of savory ground beef with the gentle, slightly sweet taste of fresh leeks, and they are absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the fresh leeks well and trim off the base and most of the green tops. Chop in half lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Put in a deep pan and cover with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and season well with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your palms then form a couple of scoops into a croquette, pressing a bit. Place on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Heat cooking oil in a pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, cook the patties in small batches until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a plate covered with paper towel and allow to rest.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese fritters are a true delight. The crispy outside gives way to a creamy filling. The spinach imparts a fresh, slightly green taste, while the dairy offers a savory, flavorful richness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with cooked, mashed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, wash it carefully, discarding any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Put in a large saucepan with a small amount liquid over a medium heat. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out extra water.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium flame and fry the onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Take off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a container and season with seasoning. Combine thoroughly until combined. If the dough looks too wet, mix in some extra breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a tray covered with parchment paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, heat olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the fritters a handful for two to three minutes per side, flipping so they are golden brown everywhere, then place on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the brown lentils in a saucepan and cover with ample cold water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, including extra liquid to maintain the lentils submerged if required.

Add the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the