KRAUT KUGEL
This traditional Kraut Kugel recipe offers a comforting and savory dish with a unique blend of flavors. The recipe features stewed cabbage, combined with bread, flour, brown sugar, raisins, and a hint of citrus and spices, all baked to perfection. The result is a rich, satisfying, and slightly sweet kugel, perfect for a hearty meal.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head Cabbage
- 2 tablespoons Butter (or vegetable oil) (Originally 'fat'. Butter or vegetable oil are suitable modern substitutes.)
- 1/4 loaf Bread, day-old
- 1/4 cup Water (Quantity estimated (not specified in original recipe))
- 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 1/8 pound Raisins
- 2 tablespoons Citron, finely chopped
- 1/4 pound Almonds, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Bitter almonds, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Lemon zest
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Butter (for greasing) (Quantity estimated (not specified in original recipe))
Instructions
- 1Chop the cabbage. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter (or heat the oil) over medium heat. Add the chopped cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is quite brown and softened, about 30-40 minutes. This step can be done the day before.
- 2Soak the bread in water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess water until the bread is relatively dry.
- 3In a large bowl, combine the stewed cabbage, squeezed bread, flour, brown sugar, raisins, chopped citron, chopped almonds (and bitter almonds, if using), salt, cinnamon, allspice, lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined.
- 4Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking dish (kugel pot) generously with butter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the kugel is golden brown and set. Let it cool slightly before serving.