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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized crispy fritters, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These particular leek croquettes offer a tasty combination of rich ground beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of fresh leeks, rendering them utterly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Thoroughly wash the green leeks well and trim off the base and the majority of the green stalk. Chop in half lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then heat over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice liberally with seasoning. Stir well using your palms then shape a several scoops into a ball, pressing a bit. Set on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the heated oil is hot, brown the patties in batches until golden on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Take out the finished fritters to a plate lined with paper towel and let to rest.

Present with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach with cheese patties are a real delight. The golden exterior opens up to a smooth interior. The fresh spinach imparts a vibrant, moderately natural flavor, while the grated cheese offers a deep, umami richness. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, pureed spuds if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it well, discarding any tough stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Place in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a medium flame. Once softened, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then press out any remaining moisture and put aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, completely remove excess liquid.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Stir well until blended. If the preparation seems too loose, add some extra breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold 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 wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the fritters a few at a time for two to three minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy all over, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a golden crust and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Add the dry lentils in a pan and fill with ample cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, including more water to keep the legumes submerged if required.

Add the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat a portion of the