Cholent a la Wilson with Jakoi

[Rabbi Ribeye]

Cholent a la Wilson with Jakoi

I present to you, my children, my favorite (only!) cholent recipe. I give no proportions because cholent must of necessity be an uncharted adventure. Tinker with it until it reaches your ethnic core -- whatever that may be.

If you wish, you can also make this in your fleishig (meat only) crockpot.

• 
  

Cholent

• Handfuls of chopped onions
  
• Lots of garlic, preferably freshly crushed
  
• Sizable chunks of short ribs, brisket, and/or chuck
  
• Salt and pepper
  
• 8 oz (at least) Barley
  
• Mixture of beans (navy, pinto, lima, kidney, and/or great northern)
  
• Chunks of peeled potatoes
  
• Paprika
  

Jakoi

• Oil
  
• Chopped garlic
  
• Chopped onions
  
• Mixture of matzo meal, cornflake crumbs, oatmeal, and Grapenuts
  
• 2 Eggs, beaten
  
• Salt, pepper, and paprika
  

1. Well before sundown Friday, preheat the oven to 225 degrees F/105-110 degrees C. (If using a crockpot, you can start your Sabbath a bit early and skip this step.)

2. Layer the bottom of a heavy Dutch oven or crockpot with chopped onions and garlic.

3. Add meat. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add more onions and garlic.

5. Add the barley and beans. Season again.

6. Add more onions and garlic.

7. Add the potato chunks. Season again. Sprinkle liberally with paprika.

8. Add water until the tips of the potatoes peek out like the crest of Ararat above Noah's flood.

9. Make Jakoi: heat oil in a frying pan. Saute garlic and onions until soft and fragrant. Remove from the heat, blend in the matzo meal etc. and eggs and season with salt and pepper. Stir in enough water to give the mixture a drop-from-the-spoon consistency. Heap mounds of the mixture atop the cholent potatoes and sprinkle liberally with paprika.

10. Cover the pot with a heavy lid and bake from sunset Friday until after synagogue Saturday noon. Don't peek!

11. Eat. Enjoy.

Keywords: Kosher, Dinner, Beans, Jewish, Main Dish, Beef, Lunch, Easy, The Daily Gullet

( RG923 )