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Leek Croquettes

Small pan-fried patties, often known as keftedes, represent a beloved delicacy in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek fritters offer a delicious blend of savory ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet taste of leeks, rendering them truly addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the fresh leeks well and trim off the root ends and the majority of the green stalk. Cut in half longways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Drain the softened leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and paprika and season generously with seasoning. Stir well using your fingers then form a several spoonfuls into a patty, pressing a slightly. Place on a plate and repeat for the rest of the ingredients.

Heat oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, brown the croquettes in small groups until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a dish topped with absorbent paper and let to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These spinach and cheese croquettes are a real pleasure. The crispy exterior gives way to a soft interior. The fresh spinach adds a bright, somewhat green flavor, while the cheese offers a deep, savory creaminess. You can substitute the cheesy element with steamed, mashed spuds if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any stalks, and cut into it into sizable portions. Place in a large saucepan with a small amount liquid over a medium flame. Once wilted, remove in a sieve for about 15 mins, then remove any excess liquid and set aside.

For previously frozen spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Preheat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium flame and cook the diced onion and minced garlic until softened, about four minutes. Turn off the stove.

Put the prepared spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with seasoning. Combine completely until combined. If the preparation looks too wet, add some additional breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, shape the mixture into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Fry the croquettes a few at a time for two to three minutes on both sides, turning so they are golden all over, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and soft inside, these fritters are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious bite or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Put the brown lentils in a pan and fill with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, including extra liquid to keep the lentils covered if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the