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Keftedes me Prassa

Small pan-fried croquettes, typically known as keftedes, stand as a treasured delicacy in Sephardic culinary traditions. These wonderful leek fritters offer a tasty combination of rich beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, rendering them absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks well and remove the root ends and most of the dark green parts. Cut lengthwise longways then into half-inch slices. Transfer in a deep pan and cover with cold water, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and paprika and spice generously with pepper and salt. Combine completely using your palms then shape a several tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a little. Place on a platter and repeat for the balance of the preparation.

Preheat cooking oil in a frying pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, brown the croquettes in batches until golden on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a dish topped with paper towel and let to drain.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These spinach with cheese fritters are a genuine delight. The crispy crust gives way to a creamy center. The leafy spinach adds a vibrant, moderately earthy note, while the grated cheese provides a rich, umami smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with cooked, crushed potatoes if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Oil for frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using raw spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any tough stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and set aside.

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

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the wilted spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, soft cheese, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with seasoning. Mix well until blended. If the preparation seems too soft, incorporate some extra breading.

With your fingers, form the dough into elongated patties a bit bigger than a nut but more compact than an egg, and set them on a tray topped with wax paper. Seal and cool for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, warm oil to a level of about 1cm. Cook the patties a few at a time for a couple of minutes each side, turning so they are golden all over, then put on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely nutritious snack or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the brown lentils in a pot and fill with plenty of fresh water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until nearly done, including extra liquid to maintain the pulses covered if necessary.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Warm half of the