Potato-Carrot Kugel

To download a cookbook style copy of the recipe for Potato-Carrot Kugel, click HERE.

A great big welcome to new subscriber Carmen!

Of the many great gifts given to the world by the cuisine of Eastern Europe, one of the most popular (and certainly one of the easiest) is the kugel, a baked casserole of either noodles or potatoes that is usually served as a hearty side dish. (Sometimes, kugels are baked in muffin tins instead of in a baking dish in order to make individual servings.) A well-made kugel is crisp on the outside, and soft and moist (but not dense) on the inside.

This week we’re making a Potato-Carrot Kugel. The addition of the grated carrots, and some grated apple, lend just enough sweetness to make this delightful. If you’ve had a good potato kugel before, I believe this will compare favorably. If you haven’t, I believe you’ll be glad you did.

This recipe makes 4-6 side dish servings.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

1/2 medium onion (to make ½ cup diced); 1 or 2 garlic cloves; 4 Tbsp flavor-neutral cooking oil, divided; 1 pound potatoes; 1/3 lb carrots; 1 sweet apple; 1 tsp salt; pinch fresh ground black pepper; pinch dried thyme; pinch dried dill; ½ cup AP flour; ½ tsp baking powder; 2 egg-substitute eggs; and cooking spray.

To make the kugel:

Begin preheating oven to 350 degrees.

Dice ½ a medium onion (1/2 cup) and mince the garlic.

Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a non-stick pan. Sauté the garlic until fragrant, 30 seconds to one minute, then add the diced onion and cook until lightly caramelized.

While the onions and garlic are cooking, peel and grate the potatoes (you should get about 2 cups), and place in a strainer over a bowl. Press gently to drain.

Peel and grate the carrots (you should get about 1 cup) and the apple.

Put the potatoes, carrots, apple, onion, salt, pepper, thyme, dill, flour, baking powder and the remaining oil in a mixing bowl, and mix till combined. Stir in the egg substitute eggs.

Spread the mixture in an 8”x 8” baking dish that has been sprayed with the cooking spray.

Bake for until the top is browned and a toothpick placed in middle comes out clean (about 60 minutes). When it’s done, let it rest for about 10 minutes before cutting.

Cut into squares, and serve hot as a side dish. (In the photo at the top, the kugel is served with broccoli and my wife’s meat loaf.)

To download a cookbook style copy of the recipe for Potato-Carrot Kugel, click HERE.

And that, my friends, is how you make an easy, delicious potato-carrot kugel!

Visit again next week for another kitchen-tested recipe! Till then, stay well, keep it about the food, and always remember to kiss the cook. ;-)