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Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried patties, typically called keftedes, stand as a cherished speciality in Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek croquettes deliver a delicious blend of hearty ground beef with the delicate, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, making them truly irresistible.

Produces 12

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

Clean the green leeks well and remove the base and most of the green stalk. Cut in half longways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Place in a deep pan and cover with cold water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Strain the softened leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, parsley and sweet paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Combine thoroughly using your hands then shape a few tablespoonfuls into a ball, shaping a slightly. Put on a platter and proceed for the rest of the ingredients.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, fry the patties in batches until golden on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready fritters to a plate covered with paper towel and let to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These delightful cheesy spinach fritters are a true delight. The crunchy crust opens up to a soft center. The leafy spinach adds a fresh, moderately earthy note, while the grated cheese provides a savory, flavorful creaminess. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed potato if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

If using leafy greens, clean it carefully, discarding any stalks, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Transfer in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once softened, strain in a colander for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and set aside.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully press out excess liquid.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about four minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, red spice, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until blended. If the preparation appears too wet, incorporate some extra breadcrumbs.

By hand, shape the mixture into elongated patties somewhat larger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm cooking oil to a level of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are golden brown everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely wholesome snack or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the brown lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of cold water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, pouring more water to maintain the pulses covered if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Warm 50% of the