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Keftedes me Prassa

Petite crispy patties, typically known as keftedes, are a beloved speciality in Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek patties offer a tasty fusion of hearty beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, and they are truly addictive.

Makes 12

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

Wash the fresh leeks well and trim off the base and the majority of the green tops. Cut in half lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Put in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Drain the leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, crumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and spice well with seasoning. Mix completely using your hands then shape a couple of tablespoonfuls into a ball, pressing a bit. Put on a platter and repeat for the remaining of the mixture.

Warm olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a medium flame. When the oil is sizzling, cook the croquettes in small batches until golden brown on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this drops the temperature of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready croquettes to a plate topped with kitchen paper and permit to drain.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Croquettes

These amazing spinach and cheese croquettes are a real delight. The golden exterior gives way to a soft interior. The fresh spinach adds a vibrant, somewhat green taste, while the cheese offers a savory, umami smoothness. You can substitute the cheesy element with boiled, mashed potato if you prefer.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or about 500g iced spinach, thawed overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp nutmeg spice
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g crumbs (1¼ cups), additional if needed
• 3 eggs
• Cooking oil for frying (or vegetable oil)
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

When using raw spinach, rinse it thoroughly, removing any tough stems, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a deep pan with a small amount water over a moderate heat. Once cooked, strain in a sieve for about a quarter hour, then squeeze out any remaining moisture and reserve.

When working with thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until softened, about 4 minutes. Turn off the stove.

Combine the prepared spinach, cooked onion and garlic, hard cheese, ricotta, grated nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and spice with seasoning. Stir well until combined. If the preparation looks too loose, add some extra breadcrumbs.

By hand, form the mixture into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but less bulky than an large egg, and set them on a plate covered with baking paper. Seal and chill for at least one hour.

In a large frying pan over medium flame, preheat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Fry the fritters a handful for two to three minutes each side, rotating so they are golden brown all over, then put on paper towel.

Present with fresh lemon.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crispy exterior and moist center, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely healthy bite or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (¼ cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (½ cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp mint leaves, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to liking
• Creamy yogurt and fresh lemon, to garnish

Put the brown lentils in a pot and fill with enough water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until nearly done, including additional water to ensure the pulses immersed if necessary.

Mix in the burghul and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the ingredients well and reserve in a bowl.

Heat half of the