🔗 Share this article

Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties offer a tasty combination of savory ground beef with the subtle, slightly sweet essence of fresh leeks, rendering them truly crave-worthy.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef meat
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the fresh leeks well and cut away the root ends and the majority of the dark green parts. Cut in half longways then into 1.5cm slices. Put in a large skillet and cover with fresh water, then heat over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Remove the water from the leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and paprika and spice liberally with seasoning. Combine thoroughly using your hands then form a couple of scoops into a croquette, pressing a bit. Set on a tray and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Preheat olive oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2cm over a moderate heat. When the oil is ready, brown the fritters in small groups until golden on each side. (Do not fill the skillet as this lowers the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the cooked fritters to a dish topped with kitchen paper and allow to drain.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese patties are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy outside reveals a smooth center. The spinach brings a bright, moderately natural flavor, while the dairy gives a savory, flavorful smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with boiled, crushed potatoes if you wish.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g frozen spinach, softened overnight in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 garlic pieces, minced
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

When using raw spinach, rinse it carefully, discarding any hard stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a big pot with a little hot water over a medium flame. Once cooked, drain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

If using defrosted spinach, thoroughly press out extra water.

Heat the oil in a skillet over a medium flame and cook the diced onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and sauteed garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breading and eggs in a container and flavor with seasoning. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the mixture appears too loose, add some additional breadcrumbs.

By hand, form the preparation into elongated patties slightly larger than a walnut but smaller than an egg, and place them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm olive oil to a amount of about 1cm. Brown the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes on both sides, rotating so they are crispy all over, then put on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and moist center, these patties are not only flavorful but also a highly nutritious snack or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 large egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the brown lentils in a saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Boil over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including additional water to keep the lentils covered if required.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and continue cooking until fully cooked. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and reserve in a container.

Heat a portion of the