Enjoy These Delectable Three Mediterranean Keftedes Creations

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried fritters, commonly called keftedes, are a beloved delicacy in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek fritters deliver a flavorful blend of hearty ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Makes 12

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

Wash the leeks properly and cut away the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Slice into halves lengthways then into 1.5-centimeter pieces. Transfer in a large skillet and fill with cold water, then cook over a medium heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Drain the leeks and transfer in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped dill, flat-leaf parsley and spice and season generously with salt and pepper. Stir completely using your hands then form a several tablespoonfuls into a patty, pressing a slightly. Put on a plate and repeat for the remaining of the ingredients.

Warm oil in a pan to a level of about ¾ inch over a medium flame. When the olive oil is sizzling, brown the croquettes in small batches until golden on each side. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Transfer the ready croquettes to a plate lined with kitchen paper and allow to rest.

Offer with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach and cheese patties are a true treat. The golden exterior reveals a soft interior. The leafy spinach imparts a vibrant, slightly green taste, while the cheese provides a rich, umami richness. It's possible to replace the cheesy element with steamed, mashed potatoes if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted overnight in the cooler)
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 100g kefalotyri, shredded
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp grated nutmeg
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), additional if necessary
• 3 fresh eggs
• Olive oil for deep-frying (or vegetable oil)
• Fresh lemon, to accompany

If using raw spinach, clean it thoroughly, discarding any hard stems, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of water over a medium heat. Once cooked, strain in a sieve for about 15 mins, then press out any excess liquid and put aside.

For previously frozen spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Preheat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic cloves until softened, about 4 minutes. Remove from the flame.

Place the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, nutmeg, red spice, breading and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the mixture seems too loose, add some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, form the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but smaller than an large egg, and set them on a plate lined with parchment paper. Wrap and chill for at least 60 minutes.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, warm olive oil to a amount of about half an inch. Brown the patties a handful for a couple of minutes each side, rotating so they are crispy everywhere, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Offer with lemon slices.

Lentil Croquettes

With their crunchy outside and tender interior, these patties are not only delicious but also a wonderfully wholesome bite or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon wedges, to accompany

Put the dry lentils in a pan and submerge with plenty of cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 mins or until partially softened, including extra liquid to maintain the pulses submerged if needed.

Add the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until softened. Remove the water from the ingredients thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Warm half of the