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Keftedes me Prassa

Small crispy croquettes, often called keftedes, are a treasured speciality in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a tasty blend of hearty beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of fresh leeks, and they are absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

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

Thoroughly wash the green leeks properly and remove the base and most of the green tops. Chop into halves along the length then into half-inch pieces. Put in a deep pan and cover with cold water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and sweet paprika and flavor generously with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly using your hands then mold a couple of spoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Place on a tray and proceed for the remaining of the mixture.

Preheat olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is ready, cook the fritters in small batches until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Remove the ready fritters to a plate topped with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The golden crust opens up to a creamy center. The fresh spinach adds a fresh, moderately green note, while the grated cheese offers a deep, umami creaminess. It's possible to replace the cheese with boiled, mashed potato if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for pan-frying (or use vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

For leafy greens, clean it well, discarding any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Place in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a moderate heat. Once softened, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with previously frozen spinach, completely remove unwanted moisture.

Preheat the cooking oil in a pan over a medium heat and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Take off the stove.

Put the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, creamy cheese, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and spice with seasoning. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the dough appears too soft, incorporate some extra crumbs.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut but more compact than an large egg, and set them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a level of about 1cm. Cook the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes each side, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Boasting a crispy exterior and soft inside, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a wonderfully nutritious snack or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (half a cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Creamy yogurt and lemon slices, to serve

Place the lentils in a saucepan and fill with ample cold water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, including more water to ensure the pulses immersed if needed.

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

Heat a portion of the