🔗 Share this article

Leek Croquettes

Small fried croquettes, often known as keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek patties offer a flavorful combination of rich minced beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of leeks, and they are utterly irresistible.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for pan-frying
• Fresh lemon wedges, to garnish

Thoroughly wash the leeks properly and remove the root ends and the majority of the green stalk. Slice into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm rounds. Place in a large skillet and fill with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the cooked leeks and place in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and season well with seasoning. Mix well using your palms then mold a few scoops into a patty, flattening a little. Set on a plate and repeat for the balance of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a frying pan to a level of about 2 centimeters over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the patties in small groups until crispy on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the frying pan as this drops the heat of the oil.) Take out the finished fritters to a dish covered with paper towel and allow to cool.

Present with lemon wedges.

Keftes de Espinacha

These amazing spinach and cheese fritters are a real treat. The crunchy exterior reveals a soft interior. The leafy spinach adds a bright, somewhat earthy flavor, while the cheese gives a rich, savory creaminess. Feel free to swap the cheesy element with cooked, crushed potatoes if you like.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen spinach, defrosted for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated finely
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), with more if needed
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

When using raw spinach, rinse it well, removing any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into big pieces. Transfer in a large saucepan with a little water over a medium flame. Once wilted, drain in a colander for about 15 mins, then squeeze out any extra water and reserve.

If using previously frozen spinach, completely squeeze out unwanted moisture.

Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over a medium heat and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic until softened, about four minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the wilted spinach, cooked onion and sauteed garlic, hard cheese, creamy cheese, nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until blended. If the dough looks too soft, add some more breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold the dough into oval croquettes a bit bigger than a walnut shell but smaller than an large egg, and put them on a baking sheet topped with wax paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a big skillet over moderate heat, preheat oil to a amount of about half an inch. Fry the patties a few at a time for two to three minutes each side, flipping so they are crispy all over, then put on kitchen roll.

Serve with fresh lemon.

Kroketes Fakes

Featuring a golden crust and soft inside, these patties are not only flavorful but also a wonderfully wholesome snack or meal.

Makes 12

• 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 yellow onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Put the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with plenty of water. Simmer over a medium heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including extra liquid to ensure the lentils immersed if necessary.

Stir in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until softened. Strain the lentils and burghul completely and put aside in a container.

Preheat half of the