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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a delicious fusion of savory minced beef with the subtle, slightly sweet taste of tender leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the green leeks carefully and remove the base and most of the green tops. Chop lengthwise along the length then into half-inch rounds. Transfer in a deep pan and fill with fresh water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and spice generously with pepper and salt. Combine thoroughly using your palms then mold a couple of scoops into a ball, flattening a little. Set on a platter and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Warm oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the oil is sizzling, cook the patties in batches until golden on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Remove the finished patties to a plate covered with absorbent paper and allow to rest.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese patties are a genuine pleasure. The crispy exterior gives way to a soft center. The leafy spinach adds a fresh, somewhat green note, while the cheese offers a deep, flavorful richness. You can substitute the cheesy element with cooked, pureed potatoes if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, softened in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

When using fresh spinach, wash it carefully, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan with a small amount liquid over a medium heat. Once wilted, drain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid and put aside.

For defrosted spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Place the cooked spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly until combined. If the dough appears too loose, add some additional crumbs.

Using your hands, shape the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and set them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a amount of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are golden completely, then transfer on paper towel.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

Boasting a golden crust and moist center, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious snack or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, including extra liquid to maintain the pulses submerged if needed.

Stir in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until tender. Strain the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a container.

Heat half of the