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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a delicious fusion of rich ground beef with the subtle, mildly sweet flavour of leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Clean the green leeks well and remove the root ends and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop in half longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, parsley and spice and spice liberally with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly using your palms then shape a few spoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a slightly. Place on a platter and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in batches until crispy on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this reduces the oil temperature of the oil.) Remove the finished croquettes to a plate covered with absorbent paper and let to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese fritters are a genuine delight. The golden crust reveals a smooth center. The spinach adds a vibrant, moderately natural taste, while the dairy offers a savory, umami richness. You can substitute the cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, wash it carefully, removing any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a big pot with a little hot water over a medium flame. Once softened, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and put aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, carefully squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with seasoning. Mix completely until blended. If the mixture seems too loose, add some additional breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, shape the mixture into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an large egg, and set them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Seal and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium flame, warm olive oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a few at a time for 2–3 minutes each side, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only tasty but also a highly nutritious bite or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Add the dry lentils in a pot and cover with plenty of water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, adding more water to keep the lentils covered if needed.

Add the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat 50% of the