A lighter take on cholent

Shavua tov!

Now that the chagim have ended, we’re officially in cholent season. However, on Shabbatot when we have no company – and also during the summer, when it’s too hot for a “real” cholent – I occasionally make something we like to call alternatively: “White Meat and Dark Meat in the Crockpot*”; “Cholent with Gravy”; “Cholent Lite”; or even “Summer Cholent”. (We welcome suggestions for better names.)

The truth is, however, that it’s more of a stew than a cholent. It has neither beans nor barley, and I usually omit the regular potatoes as well. As a result, it’s nowhere near as heavy and comes with lots of gravy. (The kids like to dip challah into the gravy.)

Here, then, is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 onions, chopped or cut into pieces
• 1 package basar adom (literally, “red meat” – refers to boneless dark turkey meat)
• 1 package boneless white chicken meat
• Water
• Ketchup
• Brown sugar
• 1-2 bay leaves
• Salt
• Onion soup mix
• Carrots – peeled and cut into chunks
• Sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into chunks
• (Optional) Regular potatoes – peeled and cut into chunks
• Paprika

Directions:

Put the onions on the bottom of the crockpot, and then place the turkey and chicken on top. Cover generously with water, and let cook on high for an hour or two. Add ketchup, brown sugar, bay leaves, salt and onion soup mix. Add carrots, sweet potatoes, and regular potatoes. Sprinkle paprika on top. Continue cooking on high. Turn crockpot to low just before Shabbat.

Enjoy!

*Hat tip: Leora, whose crockpot squash post inspired me to write this post.

Have a good week from the entire Our Shiputzim staff.