Cholent question:

[newman]

Is cholent more authentic without meat? Could someone please supply their Bubbe's recipe?

[Shoshana]

Here is how I make mine-


2 pounds fatty meat (stewing beef or brisket or something similar)
2 cups dry beans (navy beans, great northern beans, pintos, limas are typical choices).
1 cup barley
6 medium potatoes
2 medium onions
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons oil
garlic, pepper and paprika to taste
water to cover
Soak the beans and barley until they are thoroughly softened. Sprinkle the flour and spices on the meat and brown it lightly in the oil. Cut up the potatoes into large chunks. Slice the onions. Put everything into a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil on the stove top, then put in the oven at 250 degrees before Shabbat begins. Check it in the morning, to make sure there is enough water to keep it from burning but not enough to make it soggy. Other than that, leave it alone. By lunch time Shabbat afternoon, it is ready to eat.

This also works very well in a crock pot on the low setting, but be careful not to put in too much water!

[newman]

Thankyou, Daughter of Israel......

I never cease to be amazed at Jewish food. My goy family are good cooks, but I hadn't lived 'til I'd had chicken soup cooked by a Jewess.

A goy can make chicken soup taste OK, but it won't have the super-medicinal quallities unless a Jewess makes it.