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Leek Croquettes

Petite fried fritters, often called keftedes, are a treasured delicacy in Jewish culinary traditions. These leek fritters present a tasty combination of rich ground beef with the subtle, slightly sweet essence of tender leeks, rendering them utterly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the fresh leeks properly and remove the root ends and most of the green stalk. Chop in half longways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with cold water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor generously with pepper and salt. Mix completely using your hands then form a several scoops into a croquette, flattening a bit. Put on a platter and continue for the remaining of the ingredients.

Heat cooking oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is hot, brown the patties in small groups until golden on both sides. (Do not fill the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the finished patties to a dish covered with absorbent paper and permit to cool.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach and cheese fritters are a real pleasure. The crispy crust reveals a smooth filling. The fresh spinach brings a fresh, slightly earthy taste, while the cheese provides a rich, umami richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with boiled, crushed potato if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, defrosted overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

When using fresh spinach, clean it well, getting rid of any tough stems, and cut into it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a bit of hot water over a medium heat. Once wilted, remove in a strainer for about 15 minutes, then press out any remaining moisture and set aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly press out extra water.

Warm the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic until translucent, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Combine the cooked spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a container and spice with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly until combined. If the mixture looks too loose, add some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval shapes slightly larger than a walnut shell but smaller than an large egg, and place them on a plate topped with parchment paper. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over medium heat, heat cooking oil to a amount of about 1 centimeter. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Present with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a highly nutritious bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Add the lentils in a pan and fill with enough water. Boil over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until partially softened, adding additional water to ensure the legumes submerged if needed.

Stir in the cracked wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the lentils and burghul well and set aside in a bowl.

Heat 50% of the