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Leek Croquettes

Petite crispy patties, commonly known as keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek patties deliver a flavorful fusion of savory ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

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

Thoroughly wash the leeks well and cut away the roots and the majority of the dark green parts. Slice lengthwise lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season liberally with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your fingers then shape a couple of tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a little. Set on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat cooking oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, brown the patties in small groups until golden on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the finished croquettes to a dish topped with absorbent paper and let to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach with cheese patties are a genuine treat. The golden outside gives way to a soft interior. The leafy spinach adds a fresh, somewhat natural note, while the grated cheese offers a deep, savory richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it well, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once wilted, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any extra water and put aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely remove excess liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and saute the onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir well until combined. If the dough looks too soft, incorporate some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into elongated patties somewhat larger than a nut but more compact than an large egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, warm oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the croquettes a handful for a couple of minutes each side, flipping so they are golden brown completely, then transfer on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and soft inside, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a highly wholesome appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pot and submerge with ample fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to maintain the legumes submerged if needed.

Add the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Warm a portion of the