This is the first part of my first ever Passover meal. I'll be honest, I don't even know Passover requirements are and what little I do know about the typical dishes is likely learned from episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm. What the heck's a kugel? I had no idea. I just figured the recipes would be cool to try plus this one is loaded with my favorite vegetable, the potato. And it calls for onion caramelization? Pssssht. Try and stop me.
Caramelized-Onion-Potato-Carrot Kugel
from Cooking Club of America
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1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 large onions, chopped (4 1/2 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 c potato starch
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 lb. russet potatoes (about 6)
2 c shredded carrots
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
1 c boiling water
Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot.
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1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 large onions, chopped (4 1/2 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 c potato starch
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 lb. russet potatoes (about 6)
2 c shredded carrots
1/2 c chopped fresh parsley
1 c boiling water
Heat oven to 450°F. Spray 13x9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish with cooking spray.
Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot.
Add onions; stir until coated with oil.
Cover and cook 5 minutes or until onions are wilted and almost tender.
Uncover; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until rich golden brown, stirring frequently and reducing heat to medium-low if necessary.
After 15 minutes, I decided they weren't brown enough and let the onions cook a few minutes more.
Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute.
Whisk eggs and egg yolks in large bowl until blended.
And maybe fry the extra egg whites for breakfast real quick.
Whisk in potato starch, remaining 1/4 cup oil, salt and pepper.
Peel potatoes and shred using shredding blade on food processor or box grater.
Squeeze potato shreds with hands to remove any excess moisture. Stir into egg mixture.
You might not be shocked by how much moisture six potatoes contain, but I sure was. And I was slightly disgruntled by the very fine starch layer over what seemed the entirety of the kitchen. When I poured the potato juice out of the bowl, I was stunned to find what had to have been at least one half cup of potato starch at the bottom! It wasn't perfectly white since it didn't go through multiple rinses and a dry cycle like Bob's, but starch is starch. I regret not having imaged that!
Stir in carrots, parsley and onion mixture until thoroughly combined.
Pour in boiling water; stir quickly to combine.
Looking at how much moisture there was before adding the boiling water, I was hesitant to add more. But I did.
Spoon into baking dish.
Bake 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.; bake an additional 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
My first kugel turned out quite nicely! The top was nice and crusty and beautiful while the interior was very tender. The concerns of adding more water to what already seemed like a lot of moisture was not at all warranted.
The seasonings in the kugel are minimal and caramelized onions are relied on heavily to make this dish dynamic. Be sure those onions are nice and dark! I'd also use more garlic. In a nutshell, it's a little bland for me. However, it did go well with the chicken on the menu.
One of the things that bugged me is the starch. Shredding potatoes by hand is not exactly labor-intensive, but it is a pain. The bigger pain is how starch dries on contact on every single surface. Oy vey! And I wonder if it'd be possible to use the starch resulting from the fresh potatoes rather than buying some.
Last but not least, the kugel is burly. It's big and it's HEAVY. I didn't realize how heavy this was until I pulled it from the oven and the mass reminded me of lasagna. This is a side dish that is designed to feed a crowd. Looking back on it, I should have scaled things down by at least half, making it in an 8x8" dish rather than going full bore on the entirety. As it is, in order to polish this off, I'm going to have to eat two servings per day for six days. That's a lot of kugel.
Would I make it again? Sure, if I'm ever invited to Passover dinner and am asked to bring a dish. But just for me? I think I'll pass.
Cost:
- olive oil: $0.94
- onions: $0.71
- garlic: $0.10
- 8 eggs: $1.99
- 1/2 c potato starch: $0.50
- 6 potatoes: $2.86
- 2 c carrots: $0.39
- parsley: $0.39
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