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Keftedes me Prassa

Small crispy patties, commonly known as keftedes, represent a treasured speciality in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes deliver a flavorful blend of rich ground beef with the gentle, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, rendering them utterly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for frying
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks properly and trim off the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice lengthwise longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then heat over a medium flame for about twenty minutes or until softened.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and put in a mixing bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and spice well with seasoning. Combine well using your fingers then shape a couple of tablespoonfuls into a ball, flattening a slightly. Put on a plate and continue for the balance of the preparation.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a depth of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is sizzling, brown the patties in batches until crispy on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the pan as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Transfer the ready croquettes to a plate topped with absorbent paper and allow to rest.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach with cheese croquettes are a true delight. The golden crust gives way to a smooth filling. The spinach adds a vibrant, moderately natural note, while the grated cheese provides a deep, umami richness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, crushed potato if you like.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g hard cheese, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

When using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, getting rid of any hard stems, and roughly chop it into sizable portions. Place in a large saucepan with a little liquid over a medium heat. Once wilted, drain in a sieve for about 15 minutes, then squeeze out any extra water and put aside.

For defrosted spinach, thoroughly squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the cooked spinach, fried onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, spice, red spice, breading and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with seasoning. Mix well until combined. If the preparation seems too wet, incorporate some more breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold the mixture into oval croquettes slightly larger than a nut but more compact than an large egg, and set them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Seal and cool for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat olive oil to a level of about 1 centimeter. Cook the croquettes a few at a time for 2–3 minutes per side, turning so they are golden all over, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Present with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

With their golden crust and tender interior, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully healthy appetizer or meal.

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (½ cup)
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to preference
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to serve

Put the dry lentils in a pot and cover with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until partially softened, adding extra liquid to maintain the legumes covered if necessary.

Stir in the burghul and keep cooking until tender. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and put aside in a container.

Preheat half of the