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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often called keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These particular leek croquettes present a flavorful fusion of savory ground beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of tender leeks, and they are truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Clean the green leeks carefully and remove the base and the majority of the green stalk. Cut into halves longways then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Put in a deep pan and cover with cold water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Drain the cooked leeks and place in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and paprika and season liberally with pepper and salt. Combine well using your fingers then form a few spoonfuls into a croquette, pressing a slightly. Put on a plate and repeat for the balance of the preparation.

Warm oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is hot, fry the patties in batches until golden brown on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the finished croquettes to a dish covered with absorbent paper and allow to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful cheesy spinach croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy outside gives way to a smooth interior. The spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat earthy note, while the dairy offers a deep, savory smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheese with cooked, mashed potatoes if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, clean it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium flame. Once softened, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then remove any excess liquid and reserve.

For previously frozen spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Preheat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium heat and cook the diced onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and spice with salt and pepper. Combine completely until blended. If the dough looks too soft, add some extra breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Wrap and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden completely, then place on kitchen roll.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and moist center, these patties are not only tasty but also a extremely wholesome bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the lentils in a saucepan and fill with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding more water to ensure the pulses submerged if required.

Stir in the burghul and proceed cooking until softened. Strain the mixture well and reserve in a bowl.

Warm half of the