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Leek Patties

Bite-sized fried patties, often referred to as keftedes, represent a cherished delicacy in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties offer a delicious fusion of rich beef with the gentle, mildly sweet flavour of leeks, making them truly addictive.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Clean the green leeks carefully and cut away the base and most of the green stalk. Chop into halves along the length then into 1.5cm pieces. Transfer in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and put in a big bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, chopped parsley and spice and flavor liberally with seasoning. Stir well using your hands then mold a several tablespoonfuls into a ball, flattening a bit. Put on a plate and continue for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm olive oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the oil is ready, cook the patties in batches until golden brown on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready croquettes to a plate topped with paper towel and let to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese fritters are a genuine delight. The crunchy crust opens up to a creamy interior. The leafy spinach brings a vibrant, slightly green flavor, while the cheese offers a rich, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

If using leafy greens, wash it carefully, removing any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Put in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, strain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then remove any extra water and set aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium flame and cook the diced onion and minced garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the stove.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine completely until blended. If the preparation seems too soft, add some more breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, shape the preparation into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and place them on a plate covered with wax paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, warm oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the fritters a small batch for 2–3 minutes each side, turning so they are crispy completely, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and tender interior, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious appetizer or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the brown lentils in a pot and cover with ample water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, pouring more water to keep the legumes immersed if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a container.

Heat a portion of the