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Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried fritters, commonly known as keftedes, are a beloved delicacy in Jewish cuisine. These wonderful leek croquettes offer a tasty fusion of hearty beef with the delicate, sweetly mild taste of leeks, rendering them absolutely crave-worthy.

Makes 12

• 4 large leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to serve

Wash the leeks well and remove the base and the majority of the green stalk. Slice lengthwise along the length then into half-inch slices. Place in a deep frying pan and fill with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until tender.

Drain the cooked leeks and transfer in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, matzo meal, dill, chopped parsley and paprika and flavor generously with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly using your hands then form a several scoops into a patty, shaping a little. Place on a platter and repeat for the rest of the preparation.

Preheat cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the heated oil is ready, cook the croquettes in batches until golden on both sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this reduces the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the cooked patties to a dish covered with kitchen paper and permit to drain.

Present with lemon wedges.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach and cheese patties are a real treat. The golden exterior gives way to a soft interior. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, slightly green note, while the cheese provides a rich, flavorful smoothness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potatoes if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened overnight in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, crushed
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), with more if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

If using fresh spinach, clean it thoroughly, getting rid of any stalks, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Put in a big pot with a bit of hot water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, strain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then press out any remaining moisture and put aside.

For previously frozen spinach, thoroughly press out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and cook the diced onion and garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Take off the stove.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a container and season with pepper and salt. Combine well until incorporated. If the preparation looks too wet, incorporate some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, shape the dough into oval croquettes somewhat larger than a walnut shell but more compact than an egg, and put them on a plate topped with wax paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, preheat olive oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the patties a few at a time for 2–3 minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden brown all over, then place on paper towel.

Serve with lemon slices.

Lentil Patties

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

Produces 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, diced
• 1 large egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and fresh lemon, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a pot and submerge with ample fresh water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, adding more water to ensure the lentils submerged if necessary.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until fully cooked. Drain the lentils and burghul completely and reserve in a bowl.

Warm half of the