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Leek Croquettes

Small crispy fritters, typically called keftedes, stand as a cherished delicacy in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These particular leek patties offer a delicious blend of rich ground beef with the gentle, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, rendering them absolutely irresistible.

Makes 12

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

Thoroughly wash the leeks well and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop into halves longways then into half-inch slices. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice liberally with pepper and salt. Stir thoroughly using your hands then shape a several scoops into a patty, flattening a slightly. Put on a plate and continue for the rest of the mixture.

Warm olive oil in a pan to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, fry the patties in small batches until golden on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Transfer the cooked patties to a tray covered with paper towel and allow to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These amazing spinach with cheese patties are a genuine delight. The crunchy outside reveals a creamy filling. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, moderately natural note, while the cheese gives a savory, savory creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, crushed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

When using fresh spinach, wash it well, discarding any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a deep pan with a bit of water over a medium flame. Once wilted, drain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, carefully press out unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and minced garlic until tender, about four minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, red spice, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Stir well until incorporated. If the dough looks too loose, mix in some additional breading.

By hand, form the preparation into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Wrap and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a big skillet over medium flame, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the fritters a few at a time for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden all over, then put on paper towel.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and moist center, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy appetizer or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, pouring additional water to maintain the pulses immersed if required.

Add the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until softened. Remove the water from the ingredients well and put aside in a container.

Warm half of the