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Keftedes me Prassa

Small fried fritters, often called keftedes, are a cherished delicacy in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek croquettes offer a tasty combination of hearty beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of tender leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the green leeks well and trim off the roots and most of the green stalk. Chop into halves lengthways then into half-inch rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the softened leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and season well with salt and pepper. Combine well using your palms then mold a couple of spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a slightly. Put on a platter and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm olive oil in a skillet to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the finished patties to a tray lined with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a real delight. The crunchy exterior reveals a smooth interior. The spinach brings a bright, moderately natural taste, while the grated cheese provides a deep, flavorful smoothness. You can substitute the dairy cheese with boiled, mashed potatoes if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

If using leafy greens, clean it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a large saucepan with a small amount water over a medium flame. Once wilted, remove in a colander for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any extra water and reserve.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely remove extra water.

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

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a container and season with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly until combined. If the preparation seems too loose, add some more breading.

By hand, form the mixture into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a depth of about 1cm. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden brown everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a golden crust and tender interior, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a highly nutritious snack or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with ample water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, including extra liquid to ensure the pulses covered if needed.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Remove the water from the ingredients well and put aside in a bowl.

Preheat 50% of the