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Keftedes me Prassa

Bite-sized pan-fried fritters, often referred to as keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of hearty minced beef with the delicate, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, and they are truly irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks carefully and cut away the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice lengthwise longways then into half-inch pieces. Place in a deep pan and cover with water, then simmer over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the cooked leeks and put in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season liberally with salt and pepper. Mix well using your fingers then mold a few spoonfuls into a patty, flattening a bit. Place on a plate and proceed for the balance of the preparation.

Warm oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the oil is ready, brown the patties in small batches until crispy on each side. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready fritters to a plate topped with absorbent paper and permit to drain.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese fritters are a genuine treat. The crispy outside reveals a creamy interior. The leafy spinach imparts a vibrant, moderately natural note, while the dairy offers a savory, umami richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, crushed spuds if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g frozen spinach, softened overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

For leafy greens, rinse it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a little water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, drain in a strainer for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and reserve.

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

Preheat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until softened, about four minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with salt and pepper. Mix well until incorporated. If the preparation looks too wet, mix in some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an chicken egg, and set them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a depth of about 1cm. Cook the croquettes a handful for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are golden all over, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully nutritious appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to serve

Add the lentils in a pan and submerge with ample fresh water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until nearly done, adding additional water to maintain the pulses immersed if required.

Stir in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the mixture completely and put aside in a bowl.

Heat a portion of the