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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often known as keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes present a delicious combination of hearty minced beef with the subtle, mildly sweet taste of leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the dark green parts. Slice into halves along the length then into 1.5cm slices. Put in a large skillet and fill with water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the cooked leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, parsley and spice and season generously with pepper and salt. Stir well using your fingers then shape a several scoops into a patty, pressing a bit. Put on a platter and continue for the balance of the ingredients.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, cook the croquettes in small batches until crispy on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready croquettes to a plate lined with paper towel and permit to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach and cheese fritters are a genuine delight. The golden crust reveals a smooth interior. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, slightly green note, while the dairy offers a savory, umami richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it well, removing any stalks, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a small amount water over a medium heat. Once softened, drain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the heat.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine well until combined. If the dough looks too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

By hand, mold the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut but more compact than an chicken egg, and set them on a tray covered with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat cooking oil to a amount of about 1cm. Cook the croquettes a handful for 2–3 minutes per side, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then place on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy snack or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with plenty of cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including extra liquid to maintain the lentils immersed if required.

Add the burghul and keep cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat a portion of the