Delight in These 3 Mediterranean Keftedes Recipes

Leek Croquettes

Petite pan-fried croquettes, typically known as keftedes, stand as a beloved signature dish in Jewish cooking. These wonderful leek croquettes deliver a flavorful blend of hearty minced beef with the delicate, slightly sweet flavour of leeks, and they are utterly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp mild paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to garnish

Clean the leeks properly and remove the root ends and the majority of the green tops. Chop into halves lengthways then into 1.5cm pieces. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with water, then simmer over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the leeks and transfer in a large mixing bowl with the ground beef, beaten eggs, matzo meal, chopped dill, chopped parsley and sweet paprika and flavor liberally with seasoning. Combine thoroughly using your fingers then mold a few scoops into a croquette, flattening a bit. Set on a plate and continue for the balance of the mixture.

Warm cooking oil in a skillet to a depth of about 2cm over a medium flame. When the olive oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden on all sides. (Do not fill the pan as this drops the oil temperature of the cooking oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a plate covered with paper towel and allow to rest.

Offer with fresh lemon.

Spinach Patties

These delightful spinach with cheese fritters are a real delight. The golden exterior gives way to a smooth interior. The fresh spinach imparts a bright, somewhat natural taste, while the cheese provides a rich, umami creaminess. You can substitute the dairy cheese with boiled, mashed spuds if you wish.

Makes 16–18

• 1kg baby spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened for several hours in the fridge)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced small
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if needed
• 3 large eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to garnish

When using raw spinach, wash it well, getting rid of any stalks, and roughly chop it into large chunks. Put in a large saucepan with a bit of liquid over a moderate heat. Once cooked, strain in a strainer for about 15 mins, then remove any extra water and set aside.

If using previously frozen spinach, completely press out extra water.

Preheat the olive oil in a pan over a moderate heat and cook the chopped onion and minced garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the prepared spinach, fried onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, ricotta, spice, sweet paprika, dry crumbs and beaten eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly until combined. If the dough seems too wet, incorporate some additional crumbs.

With your fingers, form the mixture into oval shapes slightly larger than a nut but smaller than an egg, and place them on a plate covered with parchment paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a large frying pan over moderate heat, heat oil to a depth of about 1 centimeter. Cook the fritters a small batch for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are crispy completely, then place on paper towel.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Croquettes

Featuring a crunchy outside and tender interior, these croquettes are not only flavorful but also a extremely healthy appetizer or dish.

Yields 12

• 45g dried brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g cracked wheat (0.5 cup)
• 125ml olive oil (half a cup)
• 1 onion, chopped small
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, diced
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to accompany

Place the dry lentils in a saucepan and submerge with plenty of fresh water. Cook over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until almost cooked, including more water to maintain the lentils covered if needed.

Add the cracked wheat and proceed cooking until fully cooked. Strain the mixture well and set aside in a bowl.

Heat half of the