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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized fried fritters, often known as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek croquettes present a flavorful fusion of savory minced beef with the subtle, slightly sweet essence of leeks, rendering them truly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the green leeks properly and trim off the base and most of the green tops. Cut in half longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a deep pan and submerge with cold water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, dill, chopped parsley and paprika and flavor well with salt and pepper. Mix well using your palms then form a several tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a slightly. Put on a tray and continue for the balance of the ingredients.

Heat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, fry the fritters in small groups until crispy on each side. (Do not fill the frying pan as this drops the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a tray topped with absorbent paper and allow to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach and cheese croquettes are a real delight. The golden outside gives way to a creamy center. The leafy spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat green taste, while the grated cheese gives a rich, savory smoothness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with cooked, mashed potatoes if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

If using fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a little hot water over a moderate heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and set aside.

For defrosted spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid.

Heat the oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic until tender, about four minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the wilted spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine completely until incorporated. If the mixture appears too soft, add some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the mixture into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, warm olive oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Fry the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a golden crust and moist center, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully nutritious appetizer or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pan and fill with enough fresh water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, pouring additional water to ensure the lentils submerged if needed.

Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a container.

Warm half of the