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Leek Croquettes

Petite crispy patties, commonly called keftedes, are a beloved signature dish in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of hearty ground beef with the subtle, mildly sweet taste of leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks properly and remove the base and most of the green stalk. Cut in half along the length then into half-inch rounds. Put in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor well with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly using your hands then form a several spoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a slightly. Set on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the oil is ready, brown the fritters in batches until crispy on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready patties to a plate topped with kitchen paper and let to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These delightful cheesy spinach patties are a real pleasure. The golden outside reveals a soft filling. The spinach imparts a bright, moderately natural taste, while the cheese offers a savory, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with cooked, crushed potato if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

For leafy greens, wash it well, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Transfer in a big pot with a small amount liquid over a moderate heat. Once wilted, strain in a strainer for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any excess liquid and set aside.

If using defrosted spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and fry the chopped onion and minced garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Combine the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, nutmeg, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined. If the mixture appears too wet, add some extra breading.

With your fingers, shape the dough into elongated patties somewhat larger than a nut but more compact than an egg, and put them on a tray lined with wax paper. Wrap and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over moderate heat, heat oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a handful for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crispy exterior and soft inside, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely nutritious bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, including additional water to maintain the legumes immersed if needed.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Heat half of the