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Saturday, October 25, 2008

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.

7 comments:

  1. Glad I could inspire! Thanks for the link.

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  2. For a winter alternative to cholent that is lighter (and I personally think definitely better), there's always vegetable soup. Put up your regular vegetable soup in the crock pot several hours before shabbos starts. (If you need a recipe, ask away. I have one that works well for sukka parties.) When you come home from shul and think how nice a warm bowl of soup would be, it's there waiting. Enjoy
    P.S. I think I just may do it for this shabbos, especially since we b"h have been having such nice rain which is soup weather.

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  3. Something in life are black and white. Good cholent is awesome and bad cholent is a nightmare.

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  4. Leora: ...And thank YOU for the award. I hope to post about it soon.

    Jack: Good point! But the main issue with cholent is the leftovers...
    :-)

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  5. I have one that works well for sukka parties.
    Yes, we all enjoy your vegetable soup at the annual succah party.

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  6. Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ilana-Davita: Have a great week!

    ReplyDelete

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