Mushroom & Onion Kugel

Though traditionally we eat sweet foods for Rosh Hashana, it wouldn't make sense to make every dish sweet.  You may be preparing a sweet sauce for your chicken (we often serve Apricot Honey Chicken), tzimmes, a simple honey-glazed carrot dish or many other sweet dishes.  If that's the case, let me suggest serving a Mushroom & Onion Kugel as a side. 

Some people look down on the humble button mushroom, but I love them.  Paired with onions, salt, pepper and egg noodles they make a delicious savoury kugel.  You don't have to stick to the button -- I often use crimini or a combination of the two.  I've also been known to throw in portabello when the mood strikes.  Use any combination of mushrooms you like to make this easy recipe.  And for me, the crispier the golden brown noodles on top of the kugel the better!  

By the way, cooled completely and wraped well, this freezes beautifully.


Mushroom and Onion Kugel
Serves: 8

This simple recipe was passed down from my grandmother, to my mother and then to me (with just a couple of small tweaks).  It's still one of my favorite items on the holiday table.

  12        oz.  egg noodles -- wide
  1          large  yellow onion -- peeled and roughly chopped
  3          Tbsp.  olive oil
  1 1/2    lbs.  mushrooms -- assorted, sliced
                      1/4" thick
  1          tsp. salt -- plus more to taste
  1/4       tsp.  black pepper
  3          Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  3          large  eggs

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. Drain well and pour the noodles back into the pot or into a large mixing bowl.

In a large skillet over medium-high, sauté the onions in olive oil for 8-10 minutes, or until they are soft and starting to brown. Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and continue to cook until all of the mushrooms are cooked through and have released some of their juices.  This should take another 8-10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and their juices to the noodles and mix thoroughly.

Taste the noodle/mushroom mixture to check for seasoning. Add more salt or pepper if necessary.  When you're happy with the flavour, allow it to cool for a few minutes.  Then add the flour and eggs, mixing well.

Pour the mixture into a greased 9"x13" baking pan and bake at 375 for 55-60 minutes, until the top has turned a dark, golden brown and the kugel has firmed up.  Serve!

                                  

Crumble-Topped Apple Kugel

To be perfectly honest, I don't remember eating apple kugel (or other sweet kugels) for Rosh Hashana when I was growing up. (We did, however, always have a sweet kugel during passover made with matzo meal, dried fruit and an apricot glaze.)  Perhaps because our family often had chicken with a sweet, fruity glaze, we avoided sweet sides.  But for many people, sweet sides are traditional.

The custom is to eat sweet foods for the New Year to symbolize our hopes of a sweet year. Many of us will dip pieces of challah or apple slices into honey, prepare sweet main or side dishes and end the meal with honey cake.

Apples:  I prefer a crisp, tart apple like a Pink Lady, Fuji or Macintosh, but use any apple you like.


Crumble-Topped Apple Kugel
SERVES: 12

3/4     lb. broad egg noodles

1/2     cup  raisins, seedless
1/2     cup  orange juice
4        large  eggs
1/4     cup  sugar
2        Tbsp. flour
1 1/2  tsp. salt
1 1/2  tsp. cinnamon
1        tsp. allspice -- *optional
1        tsp. vanilla
1/4     cup  butter or margarine -- melted
4 to 6 medium  apples -- peeled, cored and diced (4 cups diced)

Topping
3       Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/4    cup  flour
1/4    cup  brown sugar
1/2    tsp. cinnamon
1/4    cup  quick cooking oats
1/8    tsp. salt

Prepare the noodles following package directions.  Drain well and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and the orange juice.  Microwave for 30 seconds and set aside to cool. This helps the raisins absorb some of the juice and plumps them up.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, salt, cinammon, allspice, vanilla and melted butter or margarine.   Add the cooled noodles, raisins, orange juice and apples.  Mix everything together and pour into a well greased 9"x13" baking dish.

In another small mixing bowl, combine all of the topping ingredients.  Use your fingers to incorporate the fat into the dry ingredients, forming a crumbly mixture.  Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the noodles and bake at 375 for 50-60 minutes, until golden brown and firm to the touch.

                                

Starting to think about Rosh Hashana (and meat kreplach)

It's been a hectic summer and though it feels like summer just started, we're less than a month away from Rosh Hashana.  It's hard to believe and I'm sorry if I'm making you think about something you're not ready for.  The good news is that there's still plenty of time to prepare goodies for the holidays.  

One of the things I love for Rosh Hashana (or erev Yom Kippur) is a steaming bowl of chicken soup with home made meat kreplach.  The silky dough surrounding the oniony meat filling is my favourite soup accompaniment. 

When I was growing up, my grandmother always made kreplach for the holidays and when my parents started our catering company, meat kreplach were always offered for Rosh Hashana. It's true that some time and work is involved in making them, but they really are quite easy to make and wonderful to have in the freezer.

A few years ago I put together a step-by-step kreplach demo (with pictures) for eGullet.org.  You can find the demo here. I  hope you try making them and enjoy them during the holidays (or anytime!).