🔗 Share this article

Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized pan-fried patties, commonly referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek croquettes deliver a delicious blend of hearty minced beef with the gentle, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to serve

Wash the fresh leeks properly and remove the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Chop lengthwise along the length then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a deep frying pan and cover with cold water, then cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and flavor well with seasoning. Combine thoroughly using your fingers then form a few spoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a slightly. Place on a platter and continue for the balance of the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the patties in batches until golden on each side. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this reduces the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready fritters to a tray lined with absorbent paper and let to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These spinach with cheese patties are a genuine treat. The crunchy crust gives way to a soft center. The fresh spinach brings a fresh, moderately green taste, while the dairy offers a savory, umami richness. You can substitute the dairy cheese with steamed, mashed spuds if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

When using leafy greens, rinse it well, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a little water over a moderate heat. Once cooked, remove in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Heat the oil in a pan over a medium flame and cook the chopped onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, red spice, breading and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Mix completely until blended. If the mixture appears too soft, incorporate some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, mold the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an egg, and put them on a tray lined with parchment paper. Wrap and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over medium heat, preheat olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the patties a small batch for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then put on kitchen roll.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these fritters are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome appetizer or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pot and submerge with enough cold water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including additional water to maintain the lentils covered if required.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until tender. Drain the ingredients well and set aside in a container.

Preheat half of the