🔗 Share this article

Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried patties, often called keftedes, represent a treasured delicacy in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These leek croquettes present a tasty blend of hearty ground beef with the delicate, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Wash the green leeks carefully and remove the roots and the majority of the green stalk. Slice lengthwise longways then into 1.5cm slices. Place in a deep frying pan and cover with fresh water, then cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until cooked through.

Strain the cooked leeks and put in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, chopped parsley and spice and season liberally with salt and pepper. Stir well using your fingers then mold a few tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a little. Set on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat olive oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, fry the fritters in small groups until golden brown on all sides. (Do not fill the frying pan as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a tray topped with paper towel and allow to rest.

Serve with lemon slices.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a real pleasure. The crunchy exterior gives way to a soft interior. The leafy spinach imparts a vibrant, somewhat natural taste, while the cheese gives a rich, umami richness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed potatoes if you wish.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, softened for several hours in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon slices, to garnish

If using raw spinach, wash it carefully, getting rid of any hard stems, and cut into it into big pieces. Transfer in a deep pan with a small amount water over a moderate heat. Once cooked, drain in a colander for about a quarter hour, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, thoroughly remove excess liquid.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the onion and minced garlic until softened, about a few minutes. Take off the flame.

Combine the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, hard cheese, soft cheese, spice, red spice, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Stir well until combined. If the mixture appears too wet, mix in some extra crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with baking paper. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a big skillet over medium flame, warm cooking oil to a depth of about 1cm. Fry the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes per side, rotating so they are golden all over, then place on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crunchy outside and soft inside, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy bite or dish.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (½ cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to preference
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to serve

Place the dry lentils in a pan and cover with ample fresh water. Cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, pouring additional water to ensure the legumes immersed if necessary.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Preheat a portion of the