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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried patties, commonly called keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters offer a flavorful blend of rich ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of fresh leeks, rendering them absolutely crave-worthy.

Yields 12

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

Wash the leeks carefully and cut away the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm pieces. Put in a large skillet and cover with water, then cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice liberally with pepper and salt. Mix well using your hands then form a few scoops into a ball, shaping a slightly. Set on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat oil in a pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the croquettes in batches until golden brown on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a plate lined with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing cheesy spinach croquettes are a real pleasure. The crispy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a bright, moderately green taste, while the grated cheese offers a rich, flavorful richness. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with steamed, crushed potatoes if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

For raw spinach, rinse it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a large saucepan with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once softened, remove in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any excess liquid and reserve.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a medium heat and saute the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir completely until incorporated. If the preparation seems too wet, add some more breading.

Using your hands, form the dough into oval shapes somewhat larger than a nut but more compact than an egg, and put them on a tray lined with wax paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, preheat oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Cook the croquettes a few at a time for a couple of minutes on both sides, turning so they are crispy completely, then place on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pan and fill with enough fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring more water to keep the pulses covered if required.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until tender. Strain the lentils and burghul completely and set aside in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the