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Some Guidelines—Delicious Cholents for Contemporary Tastes
Appears in
By Jayne Cohen
Published 2000
- Today there is no reason not to limit the amount and number of starches used. Beans with rice, perhaps, or a dumpling, along with some white potatoes, is usually the most I include in a Sabbath stew.
- Barley, simmered for very long periods, tends to swell up enormously, drinking up a great deal of the cooking liquid, and can become rather mushy. If you include it, go easy, adding just enough to lend a creaminess to the cholent. Or try soaking it overnight in cold water (½ cup barley to 2 cups water) when you soak the beans, for fluffier barley.
- If you are cutting down on meat, include more sturdy vegetables along with the beans. Carrots, celery root, fennel, parsley root, parsnips, and rutabagas are all good choices. They will impart their earthy, herbal flavor and, in turn, beautifully absorb the aromatic cooking juices. Roasted shallots make a wonderful addition.
- Because the lengthy cooking flattens out the flavors, eliminating the complex high notes, before serving, introduce some fresh, vivacious tastes. Shower the cholent lavishly with fresh herbs or wake it up with a jolt of freshly ground black pepper or finely minced fresh garlic. Something citrusy—the finely grated peel or a splash of juice—will also enliven the cholent and pull the flavors into balance, while mitigating its richness.
- Yes, it is a rich dish. If health reasons do not permit you to indulge in a regular portion, enjoy it as an appetizer. Round out the rest of the meal with a big, tart salad and whole grain bread like sour rye. Chilled Crenshaw melon, or other seasonal fresh fruit, makes the best finish.
- Cholents freeze beautifully and reheat well. Leftovers become perfect make-ahead meals. And it’s easy to remove the fat from cholents prepared in advance. Remember to add a dash of fresh flavoring just before serving.