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Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried patties, commonly referred to as keftedes, represent a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters offer a delicious fusion of savory minced beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, making them utterly addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Clean the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop into halves lengthways then into half-inch slices. Put in a large skillet and submerge with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and put in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and spice generously with seasoning. Combine completely using your palms then form a few tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a little. Set on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a depth of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is hot, brown the fritters in batches until golden on both sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the finished fritters to a dish topped with paper towel and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a real delight. The golden exterior opens up to a smooth center. The spinach imparts a bright, somewhat earthy flavor, while the grated cheese offers a rich, umami smoothness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed spuds if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, clean it well, getting rid of any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a small amount liquid over a medium flame. Once cooked, strain in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then remove any excess liquid and reserve.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly squeeze out excess liquid.

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

Place the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, spice, red spice, breading and eggs in a container and spice with pepper and salt. Mix completely until combined. If the mixture looks too wet, incorporate some extra crumbs.

By hand, shape the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but smaller than an chicken egg, and set them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, preheat oil to a depth of about half an inch. Fry the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are golden everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to serve

Add the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with ample fresh water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring additional water to keep the lentils immersed if required.

Add the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the