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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried croquettes, often referred to as keftedes, are a treasured signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These leek croquettes present a delicious fusion of rich minced beef with the gentle, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, rendering them utterly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to serve

Clean the green leeks carefully and remove the roots and most of the green stalk. Cut in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Put in a deep pan and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Strain the cooked leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and flavor well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your fingers then mold a couple of scoops into a patty, pressing a bit. Place on a tray and continue for the rest of the ingredients.

Heat cooking oil in a frying pan to a depth of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in small batches until golden on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the heat of the oil.) Transfer the cooked patties to a dish lined with kitchen paper and let to rest.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach with cheese patties are a true pleasure. The crunchy crust opens up to a soft center. The fresh spinach brings a bright, moderately earthy note, while the grated cheese gives a deep, savory richness. You can substitute the cheesy element with steamed, pureed potatoes if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

For raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any stalks, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a large saucepan with a little hot water over a medium heat. Once wilted, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with previously frozen spinach, thoroughly remove excess liquid.

Heat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, breading and eggs in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until incorporated. If the dough appears too soft, mix in some extra breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, form the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an large egg, and set them on a plate topped with baking paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over moderate heat, preheat oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the fritters a few at a time for two to three minutes per side, rotating so they are golden everywhere, then place on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely healthy bite or meal.

Makes 12

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

Place the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with plenty of water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, pouring extra liquid to ensure the lentils immersed if required.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until tender. Strain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and reserve in a container.

Heat half of the