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Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized crispy fritters, typically called keftedes, stand as a beloved delicacy in Sephardic cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters offer a flavorful blend of rich beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of leeks, rendering them truly irresistible.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the fresh leeks carefully and remove the root ends and the bulk of the dark green parts. Cut in half along the length then into 1.5-centimeter rounds. Place in a large skillet and fill with water, then simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Drain the leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season well with pepper and salt. Stir completely using your hands then form a couple of spoonfuls into a ball, flattening a slightly. Set on a tray and proceed for the balance of the mixture.

Preheat cooking oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is ready, cook the fritters in small batches until golden brown on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Remove the cooked croquettes to a tray topped with kitchen paper and permit to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese patties are a true pleasure. The crunchy exterior gives way to a soft interior. The spinach adds a fresh, somewhat natural taste, while the cheese offers a rich, savory creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, pureed spuds if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

If using raw spinach, wash it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a big pot with a little water over a medium heat. Once cooked, strain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly remove extra water.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Take off the heat.

Place the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, paprika, breading and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix well until combined. If the preparation appears too loose, incorporate some extra breading.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval croquettes slightly larger than a walnut but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a plate lined with wax paper. Seal and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat oil to a level of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a small batch for two to three minutes per side, turning so they are crispy all over, then put on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crunchy outside and tender interior, these fritters are not only flavorful but also a highly nutritious bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to serve

Add the lentils in a saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until partially softened, including additional water to maintain the legumes submerged if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Drain the ingredients well and set aside in a bowl.

Preheat half of the