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Leek Croquettes

Small fried fritters, typically known as keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a flavorful blend of hearty ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, rendering them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Clean the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Chop in half along the length then into half-inch pieces. Place in a large skillet and submerge with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Drain the softened leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with seasoning. Stir thoroughly using your palms then form a several spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Set on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Heat cooking oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, cook the croquettes in batches until golden on both sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Remove the finished patties to a tray lined with absorbent paper and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful cheesy spinach fritters are a real delight. The crispy exterior gives way to a creamy filling. The leafy spinach brings a bright, moderately earthy flavor, while the grated cheese gives a rich, savory richness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with cooked, crushed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen spinach, thawed for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, finely chopped
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

For fresh spinach, rinse it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a bit of water over a medium flame. Once wilted, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then press out any remaining moisture and put aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly press out extra water.

Preheat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, breading and eggs in a large bowl and season with seasoning. Stir completely until blended. If the dough looks too loose, incorporate some more breading.

With your fingers, form the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, preheat olive oil to a depth of about half an inch. Cook the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy all over, then put on paper towel.

Offer with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and tender interior, these fritters are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious snack or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with ample water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to maintain the legumes covered if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Strain the mixture completely and reserve in a bowl.

Warm a portion of the