Eastover/Peaster Horseradish Potato-Parsnip Kugel

Eastover or Peaster? That was the debate this weekend as it was the first Easter/Passover weekend that we celebrated as a couple. On one hand, Eastover sounds like a physical location and on the other hand, Peaster sounds a bit, well, weird. Naming aside, it was a great weekend that started with a trip to my parents in Western Mass on Saturday to celebrate Easter and then we had Burger Boy's parents over for dinner to celebrate Passover on Sunday night.

Matzo Ball Soup

On Saturday, we didn't plan a typical Easter menu since my parents were still going to do a traditional dinner on Sunday, so we opted for cheeseburgers, expertly prepared by my Dad. The meal was followed by my Mom's extra fudgey brownies, dusted with powdered sugar. Later that evening, we headed back, just in time to prepare for Sunday, our mad, crazy cooking day when we're making meals for the majority of our weekly clients.

Because this was my first Passover, I insisted on making some traditional dishes. Our dinner started with homemade Matzo ball soup, made by Burger Boy's Mom, and I made my first Kugel, packed with mashed red-skinned potatoes and parsnips, caramelized onions, horseradish and a cheddar cheese, matzo crumb topping. This was made to accompany the brisket that Burger Boy braised for a couple of hours with mushrooms and beer. For dessert, I made a berry-chocolate cobbler with a cornmeal - oat topping.

Horseradish Potato -Parsnip Kugel

With all of this traveling and holidaying and family time this weekend, the focus was always around the food. Since becoming a professional Chef, I've found that I have even more appreciation for celebrating holidays with a nod to traditional dishes and I love fusing our backgrounds to create something extra special. And with that, I leave you with my recipe for my first Potato Kugel. Hope you and yours had a great weekend, here's to spring!

Horseradish Potato - Parsnip Kugel 
- Serves four comfortably with lots of leftovers!

- 1 onion, thinly sliced into half-moons
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for the pan
- 3 large red potatoes, scrubbed clean
- 3 large parsnips, scrubbed and peeled
- 3 TBS prepared horseradish
- 1 cup + 1/2 cup Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Salt to taste
- 1 sheet of Matzo, crumbled

Pre-heat oven to 375. In a medium sized skillet, heat enough Extra Virgin Olive Oil to cover the bottom of the pan and add the onions, along with a pinch of salt. Caramelize the onions over medium-low heat until they become very soft and are deep brown in color. Set aside.

Cut the potatoes into even-sized pieces. Add to a medium sized pot and cut the parsnips to approximately the same size. Fill with just enough cold water to cover to cover the potatoes and parsnips, generously salt the water. Set to medium heat and simmer, just until the vegetables are cooked through. Strain, reserving the potato-parsnip water. Return the vegetables to the pot add 1 cup of cheese and mash until well incorporated. Add the horseradish and fold in the caramelized onions. Salt to taste. Making sure the mixture is cool to the touch, add the beaten eggs and stir to combine. Spread the mixture into a baking dish or pie plate and add the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese. Bake until the top just starts to get brown and crispy. Add the crumbled Matzo and bake an additional 5 - 10 minutes. Serve immediately.