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Keftedes me Prassa

Small fried fritters, often known as keftedes, stand as a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cuisine. These particular leek patties offer a tasty blend of savory ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

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

Wash the fresh leeks properly and remove the roots and most of the green stalk. Cut into halves longways then into half-inch rounds. Put in a deep pan and cover with fresh water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and paprika and flavor generously with seasoning. Stir completely using your palms then form a few spoonfuls into a ball, shaping a slightly. Set on a tray and continue for the balance of the preparation.

Heat olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is hot, fry the fritters in small groups until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a tray covered with paper towel and let to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese patties are a true pleasure. The crunchy outside opens up to a soft interior. The spinach adds a bright, moderately green taste, while the grated cheese provides a deep, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

If using fresh spinach, wash it well, removing any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a big pot with a bit of liquid over a medium heat. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, completely press out unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the wilted spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly until incorporated. If the mixture appears too loose, incorporate some more breading.

By hand, shape the preparation into elongated patties somewhat larger than a nut but less bulky than an large egg, and set them on a plate topped with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes each side, flipping so they are golden completely, then place on kitchen roll.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their golden crust and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a highly wholesome bite or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Add the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding additional water to maintain the lentils covered if necessary.

Add the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Strain the ingredients well and reserve in a container.

Preheat half of the