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Leek Croquettes

Petite crispy patties, often called keftedes, represent a treasured signature dish in Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a flavorful blend of savory beef with the subtle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

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

Clean the fresh leeks carefully and cut away the base and the bulk of the green tops. Chop lengthwise along the length then into 1.5cm slices. Place in a large skillet and cover with water, then cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and put in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, chopped parsley and paprika and spice generously with salt and pepper. Combine well using your fingers then mold a few scoops into a ball, pressing a little. Set on a tray and continue for the remaining of the ingredients.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, fry the fritters in small groups until crispy on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this lowers the heat of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked croquettes to a dish lined with paper towel and permit to drain.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These cheesy spinach croquettes are a real delight. The crispy outside reveals a creamy filling. The leafy spinach adds a bright, somewhat natural taste, while the grated cheese provides a rich, umami creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with cooked, mashed spuds if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, clean it thoroughly, removing any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a bit of liquid over a medium heat. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any extra water and set aside.

If using thawed frozen spinach, completely press out extra water.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Turn off the heat.

Place the wilted spinach, cooked onion and softened garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Mix well until combined. If the preparation appears too loose, add some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut shell but more compact than an large egg, and set them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, warm oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the croquettes a few at a time for a couple of minutes per side, turning so they are crispy completely, then put on paper towel.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a golden crust and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a wonderfully nutritious appetizer or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the brown lentils in a pot and fill with enough cold water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until nearly done, pouring additional water to maintain the legumes covered if necessary.

Stir in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a mixing bowl.

Heat half of the