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Leek Patties

Bite-sized crispy croquettes, commonly called keftedes, are a cherished signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes present a tasty blend of hearty minced beef with the subtle, sweetly mild taste of leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks carefully and remove the root ends and most of the dark green parts. Chop in half longways then into 1.5cm slices. Put in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Strain the cooked leeks and put in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with seasoning. Mix thoroughly using your hands then form a several tablespoonfuls into a patty, flattening a little. Put on a plate and proceed for the balance of the mixture.

Heat oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the olive oil is hot, cook the patties in batches until golden brown on both sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this drops the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the finished fritters to a dish covered with absorbent paper and permit to rest.

Present with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy exterior reveals a soft filling. The spinach adds a vibrant, moderately earthy note, while the dairy provides a deep, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheese with cooked, mashed potatoes if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For raw spinach, clean it well, removing any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a big pot with a small amount water over a medium heat. Once wilted, remove in a sieve for about 15 mins, then press out any remaining moisture and set aside.

For defrosted spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, spice, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with seasoning. Stir thoroughly until blended. If the dough appears too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

With your fingers, form the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat olive oil to a depth of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a handful for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then transfer on paper towel.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and moist center, these fritters are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy bite or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a pan and fill with plenty of cold water. Cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, including extra liquid to ensure the lentils submerged if necessary.

Stir in the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Strain the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the