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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried croquettes, commonly known as keftedes, stand as a beloved speciality in Sephardic cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a tasty blend of rich ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild taste of leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and trim off the root ends and most of the green tops. Cut in half along the length then into half-inch rounds. Put in a large skillet and cover with cold water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Drain the leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and flavor liberally with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your palms then form a several scoops into a ball, flattening a bit. Place on a platter and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the oil is sizzling, cook the fritters in small batches until crispy on both sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready fritters to a tray topped with paper towel and let to drain.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful cheesy spinach fritters are a real pleasure. The crunchy outside opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach adds a fresh, somewhat green taste, while the grated cheese provides a deep, flavorful richness. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, softened for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

If using fresh spinach, clean it well, removing any tough stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Put in a large saucepan with a little liquid over a medium flame. Once softened, remove in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any remaining moisture and put aside.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully remove unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium flame and fry the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly until blended. If the dough seems too wet, incorporate some more crumbs.

Using your hands, form the dough into elongated patties somewhat larger than a walnut but less bulky than an large egg, and put them on a plate lined with wax paper. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a handful for two to three minutes each side, rotating so they are crispy all over, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crispy exterior and tender interior, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely nutritious snack or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Add the lentils in a pan and fill with enough fresh water. Cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, including additional water to maintain the lentils submerged if needed.

Stir in the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a container.

Heat 50% of the