The Shabbat Table is the latest CJN column from noted chef and food blogger Norene Gilletz. Click here for last week’s recipes.
Good Shabbos, Shabbat Shalom! Kugel, anyone? Or do you call it kigel? My father’s mother, my Baba Doba, z’l, was from Poland, whereas my mother’s mother, Baba Mascha, z’l, was from Russia. I learned at an early age to be politically correct and refer to kugel/kigel with the appropriate pronunciation according to which grandmother’s table I was eating at. No matter what you call it, though, I call it delicious!
One of my favourite food quotes is “We’re expecting three guests for Shabbos. Do you think nine kugels will be enough?”
Potato kugel is a popular Shabbat favourite side dish. My friend Nili Abrahams of Yavne’el, Israel, bakes her potato kugel in a loaf pan, something I’ve never tried.
She writes: “There is nothing more irresistible than a traditional potato kugel. It’s Jewish comfort food. Some people leave one on the kitchen counter Friday afternoon so guests can have something to snack on when everyone is getting ready for Shabbat.” Try Nili’s recipe for her “sizzling hot potato kugel” by clicking here.
Some people refer to potato kugel as “Potato Nik” or “Potatonik.” According to Wikipedia, “Potatonik may refer to two distinct potato-based dishes derived from Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. One version is a hybrid between potato kugel and bread, containing shredded potatoes and onions as well as ample flour and leavened with yeast. Another dish, apparently unrelated but called by the same name, is essentially a very large latke meant to be cut into wedges at the table.”
Here is Mark Bittman’s grandmother’s Potatonik recipe from the New York Times. Bittman refers to it as: “a huge latke fried in chicken fat until really brown, and as crisp as perfectly done shoestring fries.”
Then there is the “Great Pretender!!” I brought this yummy kugel (below) to a dinner party and never admitted that I made it with cauliflower and packaged products. The guests thought it was potato kugel made from scratch. It was devoured in moments.
PRETEND POTATO KUGEL
Adapted from Norene’s Healthy Kitchen (Whitecap)
This guilt-free kugel is much lower in calories and carbs than traditional potato kugel, with less than 100 calories and 8 grams of carbohydrates per serving. It’s great for Passover or year-round and is ideal for those following a diabetic diet or for gluten-free guests at your table. That makes this a winner in my books!
5 cups frozen chopped cauliflower or 1 small fresh cauliflower
3 large eggs (or 2 large eggs plus 2 egg whites)
1/3 cup light or regular mayonnaise
3 Tbsp onion soup mix (about 1/2 of an envelope)
1 Tbsp potato starch (you can substitute gluten-free, all-purpose, or whole wheat flour during the year)
1. Thaw frozen cauliflower; drain thoroughly. (If using fresh cauliflower, steam until tender, about 12 to 15 minutes; drain well.)
2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 10-inch ceramic quiche dish or 7- × 11-inch oblong glass dish with cooking spray.
3. In a large bowl, mash cauliflower well. Add eggs, mayonnaise, onion soup mix, and flour; mix until well combined. (The mashing and combining of ingredients can be done quickly in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.)
4. Spread cauliflower mixture evenly in prepared dish. Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes or until firm and golden.
5. Remove from the oven and let the kugel stand a few minutes to firm up before serving.
Yield: 8 servings. Keeps 2 days in the refrigerator; reheats well. Freezes well up to 2 months.
BROCCOLI SPINACH KUGEL: Substitute 1 package (10 oz/300 g) frozen broccoli and 1 package (10 oz/300 g) frozen spinach for the cauliflower. (You can also make this kugel with 2 packages of either broccoli or spinach.) Defrost completely and squeeze well to remove any excess water before preparing as directed above.
Chef’s Secret
- Frozen Assets: To reheat the frozen kugel, remove it from the freezer, unwrap, and transfer it to a preheated 375 F oven. Don’t defrost it first or it will be too soft. Reheat, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until piping hot. If the kugel begins to brown too much, cover loosely with foil.
CONFETTI VEGETABLE KUGEL
My Koogletz, individual frozen kugels, which were the first product in my food line, Norene Gilletz Kitchen, are based on this scrumptious kugel recipe. My Koogletz were recently featured on the Food Network on Food Factory. So colourful, so delicious! Excellent for vegetarians, non-vegetarians and gluten-free eaters– and perfect for Passover or all year round!
3 medium zucchini, unpeeled (1 lb/500 g)
3 carrots, peeled
2 sweet potatoes or 3 large potatoes, peeled (about 1 lb/500 g)
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup parsley leaves (see Chef’s Secret, below)
3 to 4 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried)
4 eggs plus 4 egg whites (or 6 eggs)
1/2 cup potato starch or matzo meal
1 1/4 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. pepper (to taste)
2 tsp olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat the bottom and sides of a 3 quart rectangular or oval casserole with nonstick spray.
2. Grate zucchini, carrots and sweet potatoes. (I do this in the food processor.) Finely mince onions, garlic, parsley and basil.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well.
4. Spread vegetable mixture evenly in prepared casserole.
5. Bake at 375 F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until golden brown and firm.
Yield: 12 servings. Freezes &/or reheats well.
Variations
- Mixture can be baked in sprayed muffin tins at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
- Recipe may be halved successfully for a smaller family. Bake in a 1 1/2 quart greased casserole for 45 to 55 minutes.
Norene Gilletz is the leading author of kosher cookbooks in Canada. She is the author of eleven cookbooks and divides her time between work as a food writer, food manufacturer, consultant, spokesperson, cooking instructor, lecturer, and cookbook editor.
Norene lives in Toronto, Canada and her motto is “Food that’s good for you should taste good!” For more information, visit her website or email her at [email protected].
Photo: Flickr River