Spinach kugel is pretty bland, nothing wrong with that, it’s good, it’s just basic. It’s going to need some jazzying up, and that can go many directions. What’s the reason for the kugel, how far can you stray from basic spinach kugel? If your serving a traditional crowd, you can quickly veer into ”messing with sacred” territory, like the time my poor mother in law served banana sweet porato casserole for Thanksgiving, she lived in infamy for years. 😀

Yes, if you add panko it will stick, here is similar recipe where they do just that

https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/parmesan-crusted-baked-fish

Mtn, have you posted you kugel question on the Cooking Forum?

Don't know about kugel, but whenever I cook with greens, I add a dash of nutmeg for flavor...makes a big difference...learned that one from Rachel Ray.

I would not add panko. I think it would ruin the velvety texture of the sauce. Halibut filets are prety flat. I can’t see why most of the topping wouldn’t stay on top. It should start to melt into the hot fish right away. Was it a problem when you made it before? If anything, Id put it on cold fish and bake it all together.

I make fish very similar to your recipe except I never put butter in it. I think when the butter melts it may be thinning out the topping too much. I cook the fish with my topping on it but I use a thinner fillet, such as flounder or sea bass, so my timing may be a bit different. And I always sprinkle extra parm on top to make it extra crispy - but then I only eat the top layer of baked macaroni and cheese.

I am serving brunch and I am so tired of all the egg dishes for brunch, don't want waffles or pancakes, and did a yogurt bar recently.

My best friend growing up was Jewish and that was where I had kugel, I don't think this group will have had it or at least not have a treasured version of it. I thought savory would be better because I will also serve fruit and sweets.

I liked this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/spinach-and-feta-noodle-kugel-8899178

As far as the fish, my halibut it not flat, it curves a bit like a thickly sliced loaf of bread. Flounder would be easier as would swordfish, but I am making this again for a guest who adored it so I want halibut again. I have made it before exactly as per the recipe and it does mostly fall off. Maybe I will try adding it even later, eg 1 minute under the broiler rather than 2? The other thing that helps is, after the initial cooking, I smush them all together before adding the topping...

More parm might help!

Annie, yet it has nutmeg!

BBstsx, it never come up as a choice for me!?

Local, have you tried that recipe?

See if this gets you to the cooking forum https://www.houzz.com/discussions/tag=319

some how, i have it as a fav in the panel on the left

You have to follow it to get it to show up.(cooking).

Mtn, do you have individual baking dishes you could use? It wouldn't matter then if some slid off. Asking for a friend, lol. I am going to try this. I will have to buy frozen halibut, but Publix usually has very good frozen.

Sherry, that's a super idea! I always love that look anyway. I will have to put aside my OCD bec i have a mix of round, oval and rectangular; at least they are all white!

Thank you. I like a mixed collection look. I am going to put them on a sheet pan for ease of taking out of the oven.

It's a great idea because you don't want to miss a drop of that topping, let me assure you!

PS I put the (very thinly sliced) green onion (or chive sometimes) on top right before serving, otherwise it turns brown

Mtn- I have not made that recipe, I googled one that looked sinilar to one I make which I currently cannot find. As Annie commented mine is only mayo, not a combo of mayo and butter. IIRC the mayo sort of puffs and stays on top. I do think Sherry’s suggestion of individual casseroles is brilliant.

If your looking for a savory kugel, and not tied to spinach, this is a good one that I have made https://www.myjewishlearning.com/the-nosher/savory-cheese-kugel-for-shavuot/

If you look at all the photos on Allrecipes, many of them show a puddle of sauce! I may try the breadcrumb route too..

OOh that Kugel looks good! I may try it another time, though --- just realized I have feta i need to use anyway

Your kugel recipe looks good too. Something about kugel and feta sits wrong with me, I am sure it is ancestral remnant. And I will put in a plug for Spanikopita, since I love it. Half baked harvest has great recipe, and it’s so pretty

I know, it is certainly .... fusion .. I don't think of the cheese in kugel as usually being that aggressive... it is typically a mild cheese iirc

From a former cooking forum member.

https://thibeaultstable.com/2010/05/23/parmesan-crusted-halibut-3/

https://thibeaultstable.com/2010/10/11/parmesan-crusted-halibut-2/

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/2486007/parmesan-crusted-halibut#n=3

So, the spinach feta Kugel tastes just like ... spanakopita.

I made 2; one we just had w dinner, the other I will bake in the am. Everyone liked it, but personally i missed the crisp phyllo.

too funny.

I am less familiar with halibut. My H is an avid fisher and I don't often have to buy fish. He calls halibut flounder on steroids.

I love the idea of individual portions and serving them in enough different shapes so it looks intentional.

Sherry, Thank you for your suggestion! It worked perfectly in the mini Staubs, and was also easier to serve! Not a bit left over.

You probably do this but make sure you pat the halibut dry with paper towels. That should prevent anything from sliding off of it.

BLF, you cook them first, before you put the coating on. So they are dry on top.

I always rinse fish in cold water, pat it dry, then squeeze lemon over it before i cook it.