Delight in These Delectable Three Hellenic Keftedes Dishes

Leek Croquettes

Small pan-fried fritters, typically called keftedes, are a treasured signature dish in Sephardic Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek patties offer a delicious blend of savory ground beef with the delicate, sweetly mild flavour of leeks, rendering them absolutely irresistible.

Produces 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
• 1 tbsp parsley, minced
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Olive oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the fresh leeks carefully and remove the base and the bulk of the green tops. Chop in half lengthways then into half-inch slices. Transfer in a large skillet and submerge with cold water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until softened.

Strain the leeks and place in a big bowl with the ground beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, fresh dill, parsley and spice and flavor well with salt and pepper. Stir well using your palms then mold a couple of spoonfuls into a ball, pressing a slightly. Set on a tray and continue for the balance of the mixture.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan to a amount of about ¾ inch over a moderate heat. When the oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready patties to a dish lined with paper towel and let to drain.

Present with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese fritters are a real pleasure. The golden outside reveals a smooth interior. The fresh spinach brings a vibrant, moderately green note, while the cheese gives a savory, flavorful creaminess. You can substitute the dairy cheese with boiled, mashed spuds if you prefer.

Yields 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g kefalotyri, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g crumbs (1 and ¼ cups), additional if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Oil for deep-frying (or alternatively vegetable oil)
• Lemon slices, to accompany

For fresh spinach, rinse it thoroughly, discarding any stalks, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a little water over a medium heat. Once cooked, remove in a colander for about 15 minutes, then remove any remaining moisture and put aside.

When working with defrosted spinach, thoroughly remove unwanted moisture.

Preheat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Turn off the heat.

Put the cooked spinach, cooked onion and garlic, kefalotyri, ricotta, grated nutmeg, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with seasoning. Combine thoroughly until blended. If the preparation seems too wet, add some additional breadcrumbs.

Using your hands, mold the dough into elongated patties somewhat larger than a nut but less bulky than an large egg, and place them on a baking sheet topped with parchment paper. Seal and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, preheat cooking oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Brown the fritters a handful for two to three minutes each side, rotating so they are golden all over, then transfer on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crunchy outside and tender interior, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a wonderfully healthy snack or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g bulgur wheat (half a cup)
• 125ml oil (half a cup)
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp cumin spice
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1 large egg
• Salt and pepper, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and lemon wedges, to garnish

Place the lentils in a saucepan and submerge with enough cold water. Simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until almost cooked, including more water to ensure the legumes covered if necessary.

Mix in the cracked wheat and continue cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture thoroughly and put aside in a bowl.

Preheat half of the