Happy Passover, Happy Spring

I had recipes and posts in mind, but MZ's ear infection/roseola outbreak forced a retreat. Just posting on Wine Blogging Wednesday nearly drove me past the point of exhaustion (where are my priorities, you might ask, but the four cups could not compete with the Navarro Pinot Gris after three days of nursing a sick baby, plus I drank the wine on Tuesday). And did I mention that our freezer got left open, thus necessitating two days of mad cooking to save what could be saved? Necessity is the mother of invention, but it remains to be seen whether I was successful since almost everything went back in the freezer in its re-cooked state.

So, Passover recipes will come, maybe in a few days when hiding the matzo takes on a whole new meaning. Here's one idea, from last year, which I plan to make again with some permutation of lamb shanks... it may not feel very Spring, but with all this rain I'm thinking a wedge of this kugel might be good cold, as a snack on the ark.

Vegetable Passover Kugel

1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
4 small zucchini, grated
2.5 t salt
1 carrot, grated
2-3 eggs, beaten
1/4 t each oregano, smoked paprika, turmeric, black pepper
1/2 t salt
2 T chopped parsley
1/4 c unsalted matzo meal
1 t EVOO

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine onion, 2 t of salt, and zucchini, drain 20 minutes. Squeeze out excess liquid, and add next four ingredients. Stir to combine, then add matzo meal and parsley, stir again till thoroughly combined.

Lightly grease a tart plate (ceramic is better than one with a removable bottom), pour in mixture and bake 45 minutes, till golden on top and a knife comes out clean.

Best served with something saucy like lamb shanks.

As I type this, I realize this is dangerously close to my neo-latke recipe, but you'll have to wait for Chanukah to do the comparison.