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Leek Patties

Petite crispy croquettes, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic cuisine. These particular leek croquettes present a flavorful combination of rich beef with the delicate, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to serve

Clean the fresh leeks well and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Cut into halves along the length then into half-inch pieces. Put in a large skillet and fill with cold water, then cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with pepper and salt. Stir well using your hands then mold a few spoonfuls into a patty, flattening a slightly. Place on a platter and proceed for the remaining of the preparation.

Warm olive oil in a pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the oil is sizzling, cook the patties in small groups until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this reduces the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a dish lined with paper towel and let to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful spinach and cheese croquettes are a real delight. The crispy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The spinach brings a bright, somewhat natural flavor, while the grated cheese gives a rich, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

If using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and cut into it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about a quarter hour, then remove any extra water and reserve.

For defrosted spinach, thoroughly press out excess liquid.

Preheat the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Mix completely until combined. If the dough seems too wet, mix in some additional breading.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but more compact than an egg, and place them on a tray covered with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat cooking oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Fry the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden completely, then place on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and tender interior, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a highly healthy appetizer or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and cover with enough fresh water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, including additional water to ensure the lentils submerged if needed.

Add the cracked wheat and keep cooking until softened. Strain the ingredients well and set aside in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the