HERBED LENTIL KEFTEDES

Keftedes are traditional Greek meatballs or fritters, typically made from minced meat, such as lamb or beef, or a variety of vegetables mixed with breadcrumbs, herbs, and spices.

Keftedes are usually pan-fried until they develop a crispy exterior while remaining tender inside. They can be served as an appetiser, often with a side of tzatziki sauce, or as part of a main dish alongside rice or salad. Variations of keftedes exist throughout the Mediterranean region, each incorporating local ingredients and cooking methods.

My take on it is the herbed lentil keftedes, which uses the humble canned lentil to be turned into something pretty special. Mixed with a myriad of herbs, olives and spinach, they come together on a shallow fry.

HERBED LENTIL KEFTEDES

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HERBED LENTIL KEFTEDES 〰️

(HERBED LENTIL FRITTERS)

200gm spinach

5 garlic cloves (peeled)

1 large shallot (peeled)

400gm can lentils (drained and rinsed)

2 eggs

1 bunch parsley (just leaves & washed)

1 bunch dill (just leaves & washed)

15 green olives (pitted)

1 lemon

1/2 tbl sp ground cumin

100gm feta cheese

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

2 tbl sp plain flour

Salt

Neutral cooking oil (canola, vegetable)

To plate: greek yoghurt, crunchy chilli oil

  1. Begin by wilting spinach. Bring water to boil in a kettle and pour over spinach and let sit for a couple of minutes until all wilted. Drain out water and run cold water over, before squeezing out all the liquid out. Really squeeze it all out and pop to the side.

  2. In a food processor place garlic, shallot, lentils and eggs and blitz to a smooth paste.

  3. Add in parsley, dill (save some parsley and dill to garnish plate with), green olives, the zest of one lemon, cumin and couple pinches of salt and this time pulse. Keep pulsing until everything is blitzed in, but in pieces, you want it chunky.

  4. Pour contents into a bowl and add in breadcrumbs, plain flour and crumble the feta cheese in. Using a spoon, mix everything together until well combined. Test out a ball by forming it in your hands and if it holds firm, you’re good to go, if it’ a little bit wet and doesn’t hold, add in more flour in small amounts until it does.

  5. Place pan on medium low heat with a fingernail layer of oil to shallow fry in. Once the oil is hot,  reduce heat to medium low and form medium size balls in your hands. Make sure the ball is tight and the place into the oil. Using a spatula, press to create a fritter disk and allow to cook on each side for 3-4 minutes, or until deep golden. If it’s colouring too fast, just turn the temperature down a little bit. Fry off all fritters, using up all the batter. Once fritters are fried place on paper towel to absorb any oil.

  6. To plate up, I add a solid dollop of greek yoghurt, top with the fritters, spoon of crunchy chilli oil, parsley and dill leaves and a lemon wedge to squeeze over everything.