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Leek Croquettes

Petite fried fritters, often known as keftedes, are a beloved delicacy in Sephardic cooking. These particular leek fritters deliver a flavorful fusion of savory minced beef with the gentle, mildly sweet essence of fresh leeks, making them absolutely addictive.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Wash the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the base and most of the green tops. Slice into halves longways then into half-inch slices. Transfer in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and flavor well with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your hands then form a few tablespoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Place on a plate and continue for the rest of the ingredients.

Warm oil in a skillet to a level of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is ready, cook the croquettes in batches until crispy on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this lowers the heat of the oil.) Take out the finished croquettes to a dish topped with paper towel and permit to rest.

Present with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These spinach with cheese fritters are a true pleasure. The crunchy exterior opens up to a soft filling. The leafy spinach imparts a fresh, slightly earthy note, while the cheese offers a savory, umami smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with cooked, pureed potato if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for frying (or neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

When using leafy greens, wash it well, discarding any stalks, and cut into it into big pieces. Put in a deep pan with a little liquid over a medium flame. Once wilted, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until tender, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Combine the wilted spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with pepper and salt. Stir well until blended. If the dough seems too soft, mix in some more crumbs.

By hand, mold the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and set them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium flame, warm cooking oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Fry the fritters a small batch for 2–3 minutes per side, flipping so they are golden brown everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a crunchy outside and moist center, these patties are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy snack or main course.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Add the lentils in a pan and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Simmer over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, including more water to ensure the legumes submerged if required.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the