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Leek Patties

Small pan-fried croquettes, often referred to as keftedes, represent a treasured speciality in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a flavorful blend of savory beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, rendering them absolutely irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Wash the leeks well and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the green stalk. Chop into halves lengthways then into half-inch pieces. Transfer in a deep pan and fill with fresh water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the softened leeks and put in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, parsley and paprika and season generously with pepper and salt. Combine completely using your palms then shape a few spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a slightly. Place on a platter and continue for the rest of the ingredients.

Heat oil in a skillet to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the heated oil is ready, brown the fritters in small batches until golden on each side. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a plate topped with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing cheesy spinach fritters are a real delight. The crispy outside gives way to a smooth interior. The leafy spinach adds a bright, slightly natural flavor, while the grated cheese provides a rich, umami smoothness. You can substitute the cheese with boiled, crushed potatoes if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed for several hours in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Cooking oil for pan-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

When using raw spinach, rinse it carefully, removing any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a small amount hot water over a medium heat. Once wilted, remove in a strainer for about 15 mins, then press out any remaining moisture and set aside.

For defrosted spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and fry the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Take off the flame.

Put the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, spice, red spice, breadcrumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Stir well until combined. If the dough looks too soft, incorporate some more crumbs.

With your fingers, mold the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an egg, and place them on a plate topped with wax paper. Seal and cool for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat cooking oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a small batch for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden brown completely, then place on paper towel.

Present with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

Featuring a crunchy outside and moist center, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a extremely healthy bite or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Add the brown lentils in a pan and cover with ample cold water. Boil over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, pouring more water to ensure the pulses submerged if necessary.

Add the burghul and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the ingredients well and reserve in a bowl.

Preheat a portion of the