Delight in These Delectable Three Greek Keftedes Creations
Leek Croquettes
Bite-sized pan-fried fritters, typically known as keftedes, stand as a treasured delicacy in Sephardic Jewish culinary traditions. These wonderful leek patties present a flavorful combination of rich ground beef with the delicate, slightly sweet essence of leeks, making them truly irresistible.
Makes 12
- 4 fresh leeks
- 250g ground beef
- 2 fresh eggs
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp chopped dill, minced
- 1 tbsp parsley, minced
- ½ tsp mild paprika
- Oil, for pan-frying
- Lemon slices, to garnish
Wash the green leeks properly and cut away the base and most of the green stalk. Slice lengthwise lengthways then into half-inch rounds. Put in a deep frying pan and cover with water, then heat over a moderate heat for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Strain the leeks and place in a big bowl with the minced beef, eggs, matzo meal, fresh dill, chopped parsley and spice and spice liberally with salt and pepper. Combine well using your palms then form a several scoops into a croquette, shaping a slightly. Put on a plate and continue for the balance of the preparation.
Preheat cooking oil in a pan to a level of about 2cm over a medium heat. When the oil is sizzling, fry the croquettes in small batches until golden on all sides. (Avoid overcrowding the skillet as this lowers the temperature of the cooking oil.) Remove the ready patties to a tray topped with absorbent paper and let to drain.
Offer with lemon wedges.
Spinach Croquettes
These cheesy spinach fritters are a genuine delight. The crunchy outside reveals a smooth filling. The spinach brings a fresh, slightly earthy taste, while the cheese provides a savory, flavorful richness. It's possible to replace the cheese with steamed, mashed potato if you wish.
Produces 16–18
- 1kg fresh spinach (alternatively about 500g frozen leaf spinach, defrosted for several hours in the refrigerator)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
- 1 large onion, diced small
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 100g salty cheese, shredded
- 80g creamy ricotta
- ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
- ½ tsp mild spice
- 120g dry breadcrumbs (1¼ cups), plus extra if needed
- 3 large eggs
- Olive oil for deep-frying (or alternatively sunflower oil)
- Fresh lemon, to serve
When using raw spinach, rinse it carefully, discarding any stalks, and coarsely chop it into sizable portions. Put in a big pot with a little liquid over a moderate heat. Once softened, strain in a colander for about 15 mins, then press out any extra water and reserve.
When working with previously frozen spinach, carefully squeeze out unwanted moisture.
Preheat the cooking oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat and saute the diced onion and garlic until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the heat.
Put the prepared spinach, fried onion and garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, spice, paprika, dry crumbs and eggs in a container and flavor with seasoning. Stir thoroughly until incorporated. If the preparation appears too wet, add some additional crumbs.
With your fingers, shape the preparation into oval shapes a bit bigger than a nut but less bulky than an large egg, and put them on a tray topped with baking paper. Wrap and chill for at least one hour.
In a wide pan over medium flame, warm oil to a depth of about 1cm. Brown the fritters a small batch for two to three minutes on both sides, flipping so they are golden completely, then put on paper towel.
Offer with lemon slices.
Kroketes Fakes
Featuring a crunchy outside and tender interior, these croquettes are not only tasty but also a extremely nutritious bite or main course.
Produces 12
- 45g dry lentils (0.25 cup)
- 90g burghul (½ cup)
- 125ml extra virgin oil (0.5 cup)
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp mint leaves, minced
- 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, minced
- 1 fresh egg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Greek yoghurt and lemon slices, to accompany
Put the lentils in a saucepan and fill with enough cold water. Cook over a medium flame for about 20 minutes or until nearly done, including extra liquid to keep the pulses covered if necessary.
Mix in the burghul and continue cooking until tender. Strain the lentils and burghul well and set aside in a container.
Heat a portion of the
