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Leek Croquettes

Small crispy fritters, often called keftedes, stand as a cherished delicacy in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties deliver a tasty combination of savory ground beef with the subtle, slightly sweet essence of fresh leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the green leeks well and trim off the roots and the majority of the green tops. Cut lengthwise along the length then into half-inch pieces. Put in a large skillet and cover with cold water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Mix well using your hands then mold a couple of scoops into a patty, pressing a little. Place on a plate and proceed for the rest of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a pan to a depth of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is sizzling, brown the croquettes in small batches until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this reduces the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Remove the finished patties to a tray lined with paper towel and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach and cheese croquettes are a true pleasure. The crispy crust gives way to a creamy filling. The spinach brings a fresh, somewhat natural flavor, while the cheese gives a deep, umami richness. You can substitute the cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), with more if required
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any tough stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a little water over a medium flame. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and reserve.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the diced onion and garlic until softened, about four minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until incorporated. If the preparation looks too soft, add some extra crumbs.

Using your hands, form the dough into oval shapes somewhat larger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Seal and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a depth of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes per side, flipping so they are golden brown completely, then place on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their golden crust and moist center, these fritters are not only delicious but also a extremely nutritious snack or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with enough cold water. Cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, including extra liquid to maintain the legumes covered if needed.

Stir in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the mixture completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Preheat a portion of the