This traditional dish is served in orthodox Jewish homes on the Sabbath. It might also be good for working families who want a hot cooked meal after a day's work.
In orthodox Jewish homes it is forbidden to cook on the Sabbath, which commences at sunset on Friday and continues until sunset on Saturday.
This dish is one of the most popular served in Jewish households around the world. It is customary for the food to be prepared the day before and left to cook in a slow oven over night.
The word “cholent” is surrounded by mystery. Some believe it comes from the Hebrew word “shoalin” which means “cooked”. Some French Jews say it comes from the Old French words “chaud” meaning “hot” and “lent” meaning “slow” and it’s easy to see the connection. Another theory is that the word comes from the Latin “calentem” meaning “hot”. It doesn’t really matter. This is a delicious dish that is experiencing a revival amongst Jewish communities across the world.
The recipes for cholent vary considerably but traditional ingredients include kosher beef, preferably a cut such as flank or brisket that needs a longer cooking time to soften it.
In many households it is traditional to include dumplings or to substitute veal, chicken, turkey or even frankfurters.
You can also cook eggs in the cooking pot. These are cooked in their shells and then eaten with a selection of raw vegetables as a starter. The shells, and the whites inside, turn pale brown and absorb the flavours of the meat and vegetables. These eggs have a delicious flavour that is nothing like the average hard-boiled egg.
The following recipe will make seven or eight generous servings.
Ingredients:
For the Cholent
- 2 cups dry beans – one type of bean or a mixture of several. You need to think about the beans the day before. Wash the beans thoroughly and then soak in deep water overnight, or at least eight hours. When thoroughly soaked drain off the fluid.
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 200 g (8 oz) or one large onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ tsp pepper
- 1 cup of barley
- 700 g (1½ lb) potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
- 700 g carrots or sweet potato or mixture of both
- 700 g beef – brisket or flank or any cut that requires long, slow cooking to soften
- 1 egg per person - the egg must be left in its shell and thoroughly washed
Method
- Heat the oil and sauté the chopped onion until soft and transparent.
- Crush the garlic and add it to the onions. Stir for five minutes.
- Add the paprika and seasoning. Cook for another minute and remove from heat.
- Transfer the onions to a Dutch oven, or a heavy oven proof dish with a tight-fitting lid.
- Add the beans, barley, potatoes, vegetables and meat.
- Carefully bury the whole eggs in the cholent mix.
- Add enough water to cover all the ingredients.
- Bake in a slow oven at 100 degrees C (200 degrees F) for between seven and eighteen hours. The longer and slower the cooking the better the dish will be.
- To prevent the cholent from drying out add water occasionally if needed.
Optional Dumplings:
- 150 g plain flour
- 50 g margarine
- 2 tsp chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Pinch of mixed herbs
- Cold water
Method:
- Put all the ingredients into a bowl and add just enough cold water to make the consistency not too thick.
- Roll the mixture into small balls.
- Roll each ball in flour and add to the cooking pot.
When cooked pull out the eggs, shell them and cut into quarters. They make a delicious first course accompanied by raw vegetables such as carrot sticks, cucumber or celery dipped in sour cream or yoghurt.
Slice the meat, serve with the vegetables and dumplings – and enjoy! You can mop up the juices with home baked bagels.
