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Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried patties, often called keftedes, stand as a cherished speciality in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a tasty fusion of hearty minced beef with the subtle, slightly sweet flavour of tender leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the green leeks properly and remove the base and the majority of the green tops. Chop into halves along the length then into 1.5cm pieces. Put in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Strain the softened leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and spice well with seasoning. Stir well using your hands then mold a several tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a bit. Place on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, brown the patties in small groups until golden on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Remove the cooked patties to a dish covered with absorbent paper and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy crust opens up to a smooth interior. The leafy spinach brings a fresh, slightly natural flavor, while the cheese gives a deep, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

For fresh spinach, clean it well, removing any stalks, and cut into it into sizable portions. Place in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, strain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then press out any extra water and put aside.

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

Heat the oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and saute the onion and minced garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Combine completely until combined. If the dough appears too soft, incorporate some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, form the mixture into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut but more compact than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for two to three minutes per side, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely nutritious appetizer or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with ample cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, pouring more water to keep the pulses immersed if necessary.

Add the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a container.

Heat half of the