Introduction

Today in the magic kitchen we are making a staple found in many Jewish holiday meals - Kugel!

Kugels come in many varieties. If you are of the Hebrew persuasion, you probably have had a couple of different kinds in your day. If you’re not a MOTT (member of the Tribe) you might be asking, “What is a Kugel?” By definition (in Jewish cooking) it’s a dish that can be described as a sweet or savory pudding of noodles or potatoes. 

In today’s Jewish kitchens, we use a lot of different vegetables for the savory kugels. During Passover, we can’t eat noodles so we stick with vegetables, which tend to be more savory than sweet, except for the carrot. Carrot-based kugels can be made with cinnamon and maple syrup and are quite tasty as well. Carrots, zucchini, and cauliflower have become popular base ingredients for this Passover mainstay. 

One of my favorites is the Cauliflower Kugel. I found a really good recipe on My Jewish Learning. I have made it several times and added a few of my touches over time. It was good to start but now I think it’s damn pretty and damn tasty. For me, it is comforting like a good potato dish but without the calories and the carbs - if you are trying to avoid that. And if your family is anything like mine, there are plenty of other opportunities to find those carbs over the holiday, if you are missing them. 

Cauli Kugel is the perfect side for roast chicken, lamb shanks, or brisket. It’s very versatile and like most of the dishes I have in my little book of magic, it’s super easy to make in your own kitchen! I think the Twice Stolen Spice™ makes cauliflower taste better than it has any right to. Seriously, it’s a bland veg that needs some serious flavor to make it spectacular and not just palatable.

Add it to your Seder menu this year. Let Mama Miche help make your Seder and your kitchen magic! 

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Chag Pesach Sameach!

Tools

• 2 mixing bowls

• Cutting board

• Sharp knife

• 7 x 10 baking dish

• Aluminum Foil

Ingredients

Makes 8-10 servings

• 1 medium cauliflower (approx. 750-850g)

• 1 large white onion, finely chopped

• 5 eggs 

• 1 tbsp Twice Stolen Spice™

• 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp Olive oil

Directions

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes

Preheat oven to 410º F. 

Prepare the cauliflower - Remove tough, blemished outer leaves, and cut away the tough, round stem at the bottom of the cauliflower (use the discarded parts in your next vegetable stock) You can keep the softer, smaller leaves for the kugel. Wash the cauliflower well in warm water 3-4 times to remove any unwanted dirt—dry well. 

Slice the entire cauliflower very thinly (approx. ¼ inch). Most of it will crumble into small pieces, but you should have some beautiful thin slices of cauliflower that have held their shape, too. Reserve a few of those slices for the top of the kugel. 

Combine the onion and crumbled cauliflower in a large mixing bowl. Mix the eggs and 2/3 cup olive oil along with Twice Stolen Spice™ in another small mixing bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the cauliflower mixture and mix well, so the cauliflower mixture is thoroughly coated in the liquid. Mix in the reserved smaller cauliflower leaves. 

Transfer to a 7″ x 10″ baking dish. Nestle the reserved thin slices of cauliflower on top. Drizzle the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and lightly sprinkle Twice Stolen Spice™ over the top. 

Bake for 20 minutes at 410 ºF or until golden. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and reduce the oven temperature to 325º F. Continue baking for another 70 minutes.

Notes:

Enjoy hot, or store in the refrigerator and reheat for up to 4 days.