Comforting Cabbage Apple Kugel

This is a wonderful, mildly sweet kugel from Crescent Dragonwagon’s cookbook, "The Passionate Vegetarian". The cabbage, slowly cooked, almost caramelizes. You can add ¾ tsp. cinnamon and/or ½ cup toasted chopped walnuts or almonds.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

•  cooking spray
• 1 -2  tablespoon butter (oil or margarine can be substituted)
• 5  cups  finely shredded cabbage (half of a 1-pound bag shredded cabbage)
• 1  apple, peeled and finely diced
• 3  tablespoons honey or 3  tablespoons brown sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups  cubed toasted  whole wheat bread (about 3 slices)
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 1⁄4 cup potato starch
• 3  large eggs, separated
• 1⁄4 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Spray a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray. Spray a large skillet (not nonstick) with cooking spray and heat the butter in it over medium heat. When the butter has melted, lower the heat slightly and add the cabbage. Cook, stirring often, over low-medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add the apple and cook for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoons of the sweetener and the salt, raise the heat very slightly, and cook for 10 minutes more, or until soft and slightly browned. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
2. As the cabbage cooks, place the bread cubes in a heatproof bowl. Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the bread. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then squeeze the bread dry, discarding the water.
3. Mash the soaked bread together with the potato starch, then mash in the egg yolks. Stir in the cooled cabbage, the remaining sweetener, and the raisins.
4. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them into the cabbage-bread mixture. Spoon into the prepared casserole and bake for 40 minutes, or until set. Serve immediately.