🔗 Share this article

Leek Patties

Petite pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These particular leek croquettes deliver a delicious combination of rich ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of fresh leeks, making them utterly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks well and remove the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Cut into halves longways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. 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 leeks and put in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly using your hands then shape a several spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a slightly. Set on a tray and repeat for the rest of the mixture.

Warm oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the croquettes in small batches until crispy on each side. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a dish lined with kitchen paper and let to drain.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese patties are a true pleasure. The crunchy crust opens up to a soft interior. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, slightly green taste, while the grated cheese offers a rich, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with steamed, crushed spuds if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

For raw spinach, rinse it well, discarding any stalks, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a bit of water over a medium flame. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then remove any excess liquid and put aside.

For previously frozen spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the olive oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and cook the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, spice, red spice, breading and eggs in a container and flavor with pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly until incorporated. If the dough appears too soft, mix in some additional crumbs.

By hand, form the preparation into elongated patties slightly larger than a nut but less bulky than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the patties a small batch for two to three minutes each side, rotating so they are crispy completely, then place on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a extremely nutritious appetizer or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Put the brown lentils in a pan and cover with enough water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, adding additional water to maintain the lentils immersed if required.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until tender. Remove the water from the ingredients completely and set aside in a container.

Heat half of the