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Leek Croquettes

Small crispy croquettes, often referred to as keftedes, are a beloved delicacy in Sephardic cooking. These leek croquettes deliver a flavorful blend of rich beef with the subtle, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef meat
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the green leeks properly and trim off the base and most of the green stalk. Chop into halves longways then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and flavor generously with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your fingers then form a several tablespoonfuls into a patty, flattening a slightly. Put on a tray and repeat for the rest of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a pan to a amount of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, cook the fritters in small groups until golden on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this reduces the temperature of the oil.) Remove the finished croquettes to a dish topped with kitchen paper and permit to cool.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These delightful cheesy spinach patties are a real pleasure. The crispy crust gives way to a smooth filling. The leafy spinach brings a fresh, moderately earthy note, while the grated cheese gives a deep, flavorful creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed potato if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Lemon wedges, to serve

When using fresh spinach, clean it well, removing any tough stems, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Place in a large saucepan with a small amount water over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a strainer for about 15 mins, then remove any extra water and put aside.

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

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a medium flame and cook the diced onion and garlic cloves until tender, about four minutes. Take off the heat.

Combine the wilted spinach, fried onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and spice with pepper and salt. Stir completely until blended. If the preparation looks too wet, mix in some more crumbs.

Using your hands, mold the mixture into oval shapes somewhat larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and set them on a tray covered with parchment paper. Wrap and cool for at least 60 minutes.

In a wide pan over medium flame, heat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Cook the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden all over, then place on paper towel.

Present with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Boasting a crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only tasty but also a wonderfully healthy snack or main course.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Add the brown lentils in a saucepan and cover with enough water. Boil over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, adding extra liquid to maintain the pulses immersed if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Remove the water from the lentils and burghul well and reserve in a container.

Heat 50% of the