Enjoy These Tasty Three Mediterranean Croquette Recipes

Keftedes me Prassa

Petite fried croquettes, often called keftedes, stand as a treasured speciality in Jewish cuisine. These particular leek croquettes offer a delicious combination of hearty ground beef with the subtle, sweetly mild essence of tender leeks, making them truly crave-worthy.

Yields 12

• 4 leeks
• 250g minced beef
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp matzo meal
• 1 tbsp chopped dill, diced
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• ½ tsp paprika
• Olive oil, for cooking
• Lemon slices, to accompany

Thoroughly wash the fresh leeks well and trim off the root ends and the bulk of the green tops. Slice in half lengthways then into 1.5cm pieces. Put in a deep frying pan and submerge with fresh water, then simmer over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until tender.

Remove the water from the softened leeks and place in a mixing bowl with the beef, eggs, crumbs, chopped dill, parsley and sweet paprika and season liberally with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your palms then shape a couple of tablespoonfuls into a croquette, shaping a bit. Put on a tray and continue for the remaining of the preparation.

Preheat olive oil in a skillet to a amount of about 2 centimeters over a moderate heat. When the heated oil is ready, cook the fritters in small batches until crispy on both sides. (Don't overcrowd the skillet as this reduces the oil temperature of the oil.) Take out the ready croquettes to a plate topped with kitchen paper and allow to cool.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Spinach Croquettes

These spinach with cheese croquettes are a genuine pleasure. The crunchy exterior opens up to a soft filling. The fresh spinach brings a bright, moderately natural flavor, while the dairy provides a deep, savory smoothness. Feel free to swap the dairy cheese with boiled, pureed potatoes if you prefer.

Produces 16–18

• 1kg fresh spinach (or else about 500g iced spinach, thawed in the fridge in the refrigerator)
• 3 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 onion, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 100g salty cheese, grated
• 80g soft cheese
• ½ tsp fresh nutmeg
• ½ tsp paprika
• 120g breadcrumbs (about 1.25 cups), plus extra if required
• 3 fresh eggs
• Cooking oil for deep-frying (or use neutral oil)
• Lemon slices, to serve

If using raw spinach, clean it well, getting rid of any stalks, and roughly chop it into big pieces. Place in a big pot with a little hot water over a moderate heat. Once wilted, drain in a strainer for about 15 mins, then remove any extra water and reserve.

For defrosted spinach, carefully squeeze out extra water.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over a medium heat and fry the chopped onion and garlic cloves until translucent, about a few minutes. Take off the heat.

Combine the wilted spinach, cooked onion and garlic, grated cheese, soft cheese, spice, sweet paprika, breadcrumbs and eggs in a big mixing bowl and flavor with pepper and salt. Stir completely until combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add some more breading.

With your fingers, shape the mixture into elongated patties a bit bigger than a walnut shell but more compact than an egg, and put them on a baking sheet covered with wax paper. Seal and refrigerate for at least one hour.

In a wide pan over moderate heat, preheat oil to a level of about half an inch. Brown the croquettes a small batch for a couple of minutes per side, rotating so they are crispy completely, then place on absorbent paper.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lentil Patties

With their golden crust and tender interior, these croquettes are not only delicious but also a highly healthy bite or meal.

Yields 12

• 45g dry lentils (one-quarter cup)
• 90g burghul (half a cup)
• 125ml olive oil (0.5 cup)
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp chopped mint, chopped
• 1 tbsp parsley, diced
• 1 egg
• Pepper and salt, to liking
• Greek yoghurt and fresh lemon, to serve

Add the brown lentils in a pot and cover with ample water. Boil over a moderate heat for about twenty minutes or until nearly done, pouring more water to ensure the legumes immersed if necessary.

Stir in the bulgur wheat and proceed cooking until tender. Remove the water from the mixture thoroughly and set aside in a container.

Warm half of the