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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized fried fritters, commonly referred to as keftedes, represent a beloved signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These particular leek patties offer a delicious blend of savory ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, rendering them truly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Clean the leeks carefully and remove the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Chop into halves lengthways then into half-inch rounds. Put in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then heat over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and flavor well with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your fingers then mold a few spoonfuls into a ball, flattening a little. Put on a plate and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the olive oil is ready, fry the croquettes in small groups until golden on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this drops the heat of the oil.) Remove the finished fritters to a tray topped with paper towel and allow to cool.

Present with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These cheesy spinach croquettes are a genuine delight. The crispy crust opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a bright, somewhat earthy note, while the dairy offers a rich, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

If using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, removing any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Put in a big pot with a small amount liquid over a medium flame. Once softened, strain in a colander for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, carefully press out extra water.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Remove from the heat.

Put the cooked spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly until incorporated. If the mixture looks too loose, add some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, mold the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over medium heat, preheat oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the patties a handful for a couple of minutes each side, flipping so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and moist center, these patties are not only tasty but also a highly healthy snack or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Add the dry lentils in a saucepan and fill with enough fresh water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, pouring extra liquid to keep the lentils immersed if required.

Add the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a container.

Heat a portion of the