Quinoa and Cauliflower Kugel With Cumin

- Total Time
- 2 hours
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½medium onion, finely chopped
- ½cup quinoa
- 1¼cups water
- Salt to taste
- 1pound cauliflower (½ medium head), broken into florets
- 1cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 2eggs
- 1scant teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and crushed
- Freshly ground pepper
Preparation
- Step 1
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, 3 to 5 minutes, and add the quinoa. Cook, stirring, for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the quinoa begins to smell toasty and the onion is tender. Add the water and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and the grains display a threadlike spiral. If any water remains in the pot, drain the quinoa through a strainer, then return to the pot. Place a dish towel over the pot, then return the lid and let sit undisturbed for 10 to 15 minutes
- Step 2
Meanwhile, steam the cauliflower over 1 inch of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the heat
- Step 3
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and oil a 2-quart baking dish or gratin
- Step 4
Finely chop the steamed cauliflower, either with a chef’s knife or using a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Place in a large mixing bowl. In a food processor fitted with the steel blade, purée the cottage cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and process until the mixture is smooth. Add salt (I suggest about ½ teaspoon), pepper and the cumin seeds and mix together. Scrape into the bowl with the cauliflower. Add the quinoa and stir everything together. Scrape into the oiled baking dish. Drizzle the remaining oil over the top and place in the oven
- Step 5
Bake 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares or wedges
- Advance preparation: The quinoa can be prepared through Step 1 up to 3 days ahead (it also freezes well). The kugel will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a medium oven.
Private Notes
Comments
Made this for a Passover Seder. Everyone loved it. I did make a couple of modifications, I tossed the florets with a little olive oil and roasted them at 450 degrees, rather than steaming. I also added five chopped garlic cloves to the sautéing onions (I doubled the recipe).
If you are trying to make it dairy free, use a dairy free cottage cheese. My local supermarket has is near all the Lactaid products. I have successfully replaced it in many recipes. ( no one even realizes!)
This kugel was easy to put together and tasty, even cold. But I thought it needed something for oomph. Maybe use full-fat cottage cheese or a third egg? Might try Alice B's idea about adding garlic to the onions.
Excellent dairy dish for Passover! Have made this in past years following the recipe directions with excellent results. This year I was a too-busy cook. Making this in less time was a priority. I had cooked quinoa earlier in the week which was far too mushy to be used in the intended dish. So, I used 1.5 cups of this cooked quinoa, (equivalent of 0.5 cup uncooked). I sautéed the chopped onion as directed and then added all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Substituted two 10 oz packages of frozen riced cauliflower, thawed and warmed, instead of steaming the cauliflower. This yielded more cauliflower than needed, so I added 2 more eggs and another 1/2 cup of small curd cottage cheese. Added 1/2 c of chopped fresh herbs (parsley or cilantro). Can also add 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne to amp flavor. Toasting fresh cumin seeds truly adds to the flavor. Skipped the step of using food processor for eggs and cottage cheese. Didn’t seem necessary. Dusted top with a little paprika before baking. Results were delicious! Keeps well for 5 days in fridge after cooking. Possibly even more tasty after cooling and then reheating. Great make-ahead dish.
Added five cloves of garlic, minced, to the onions. Used chicken stock instead of water for cooking the quinoa. Chopped the cauliflower using the chef’s knife. Did not process the cottage cheese. Did not process the cooked quinoa. Added 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin to condiment. Used an extra egg. Delicious!
Added garlic, five cloves, minced, to the onions. Used chick
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