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Leek Croquettes

Small fried croquettes, often called keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek fritters present a tasty fusion of savory ground beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of fresh leeks, making them utterly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Oil, for pan-frying
• Lemon slices, to garnish

Wash the green leeks carefully and trim off the root ends and most of the green tops. Cut into halves lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter slices. Transfer in a large skillet and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until softened.

Remove the water from the leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and spice well with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your fingers then form a couple of spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Put on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the preparation.

Heat oil in a skillet to a amount of about ¾ inch over a medium heat. When the oil is ready, fry the croquettes in batches until crispy on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a dish topped with paper towel and allow to drain.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese fritters are a real pleasure. The crispy outside opens up to a smooth interior. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, somewhat green flavor, while the dairy offers a deep, flavorful creaminess. It's possible to replace the dairy cheese with cooked, pureed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or use sunflower oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

If using fresh spinach, wash it well, removing any stalks, and cut into it into large chunks. Put in a deep pan with a bit of hot water over a medium flame. Once softened, remove in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and set aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

Preheat the oil in a skillet over a medium heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic until tender, about 4 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Put the prepared spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, red spice, breading and eggs in a large bowl and season with seasoning. Stir completely until blended. If the preparation looks too wet, incorporate some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into elongated patties slightly larger than a nut but less bulky than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate covered with baking paper. Wrap and chill for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, preheat olive oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes per side, flipping so they are golden completely, then transfer on kitchen roll.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their crunchy outside and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a extremely nutritious bite or main course.

Produces 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 fresh egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a pot and submerge with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until partially softened, pouring extra liquid to ensure the lentils submerged if needed.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Strain the ingredients well and set aside in a container.

Heat a portion of the