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Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried patties, often known as keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Jewish cooking. These leek croquettes offer a delicious fusion of savory ground beef with the delicate, mildly sweet essence of tender leeks, making them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the base and the bulk of the green stalk. Cut into halves lengthways then into half-inch slices. Put in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Strain the cooked leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, parsley and sweet paprika and season liberally with salt and pepper. Combine completely using your fingers then mold a couple of tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a slightly. Set on a plate and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Heat oil in a frying pan to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is ready, fry the croquettes in small batches until crispy on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the frying pan as this reduces the heat of the cooking oil.) Transfer the cooked patties to a dish covered with paper towel and permit to rest.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a real delight. The golden outside opens up to a creamy interior. The spinach brings a vibrant, moderately earthy note, while the dairy gives a savory, flavorful richness. Feel free to swap the cheese with cooked, crushed spuds if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

If using raw spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a bit of liquid over a medium flame. Once cooked, strain in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then press out any excess liquid and reserve.

If using defrosted spinach, carefully remove extra water.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a medium flame and saute the chopped onion and garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a container and flavor with seasoning. Stir well until combined. If the dough seems too soft, incorporate some extra crumbs.

By hand, form the preparation into oval croquettes slightly larger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a tray covered with baking paper. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium heat, warm oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes each side, rotating so they are golden all over, then put on absorbent paper.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crunchy outside and tender interior, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a highly wholesome bite or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, adding extra liquid to ensure the pulses covered if needed.

Add the burghul and continue cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a container.

Heat 50% of the