Delight in These Tasty Triple Greek Croquette Recipes

Leek Croquettes

Bite-sized crispy fritters, often referred to as keftedes, stand as a cherished signature dish in Sephardic cooking. These wonderful leek patties deliver a tasty combination of hearty beef with the gentle, sweetly mild essence of leeks, rendering them truly addictive.

Makes 12

• 4 fresh leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 fresh eggs
• 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp dill, diced
• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ½ tsp sweet paprika
• Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon wedges, to accompany

Clean the leeks carefully and remove the base and the majority of the green tops. Cut in half lengthways then into half-inch rounds. Place in a deep frying pan and submerge with cold water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about 20 mins or until cooked through.

Drain the cooked leeks and place in a large mixing bowl with the minced beef, eggs, breadcrumbs, dill, flat-leaf parsley and paprika and season liberally with seasoning. Stir well using your hands then shape a couple of tablespoonfuls into a croquette, flattening a slightly. Put on a platter and continue for the rest of the preparation.

Warm olive oil in a pan to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the olive oil is sizzling, brown the croquettes in small groups until golden on all sides. (Don't overcrowd the pan as this reduces the heat of the oil.) Remove the ready fritters to a plate lined with absorbent paper and allow to cool.

Serve with lemon slices.

Keftes de Espinacha

These delightful spinach with cheese patties are a real pleasure. The golden outside gives way to a creamy center. The spinach adds a bright, somewhat earthy taste, while the cheese gives a deep, umami smoothness. Feel free to swap the cheese with cooked, crushed potato if you like.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg spinach leaves (or else about 500g iced spinach, softened in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 100g hard cheese, shredded
• 80g creamy ricotta
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp mild spice
• 120g dry breadcrumbs (1 and ¼ cups), plus extra if required
• 3 eggs
• Oil for pan-frying (or alternatively neutral oil)
• Fresh lemon, to serve

For leafy greens, rinse it well, getting rid of any hard stems, and cut into it into sizable portions. Place in a big pot with a bit of water over a medium flame. Once wilted, strain in a colander for about 15 mins, then press out any remaining moisture and put aside.

For thawed frozen spinach, completely squeeze out excess liquid.

Warm the oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and cook the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about four minutes. Turn off the flame.

Place the cooked spinach, sauteed onion and softened garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, nutmeg, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a large bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Combine well until combined. If the mixture seems too soft, mix in some more breadcrumbs.

With your fingers, mold the dough into elongated patties slightly larger than a nut but smaller than an chicken egg, and put them on a plate lined with baking paper. Cover and cool for at least 1 hour.

In a wide pan over medium heat, heat olive oil to a level of about 1cm. Brown the croquettes a few at a time for a couple of minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden everywhere, then place on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon slices.

Kroketes Fakes

With their crispy exterior and tender interior, these fritters are not only tasty but also a extremely wholesome bite or dish.

Makes 12

• 45g brown lentils (0.25 cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml extra virgin oil (½ cup)
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Seasoning, to taste
• Yogurt and lemon slices, to garnish

Place the lentils in a pan and cover with ample cold water. Cook over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until almost cooked, including more water to maintain the lentils covered if needed.

Mix in the bulgur wheat and keep cooking until tender. Drain the ingredients well and set aside in a mixing bowl.

Preheat a portion of the