Denise says:
Recipes for cholent vary from one country to another and between regions ~this is a delicious French/ German cholent made with lamb, dried fruit and rosemary.
Lamb tends to be fatty and quite expensive but at Silverman's butcher they trim the fat from the meat before weighing and pricing.
The beauty of all cholent is that is a complete hot meal all in one pot. I have kept the skins on the potatoes as this helps to prevent them falling apart. Slice the succulent meat just before serving.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus soaking haricot beans
Cooking Time: 18 – 20 hours
Serves: 8 people
Ingredients:
200g haricot beans1.8kg shoulder of lamb – boned removed
4 garlic cloves – sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions – peeled and sliced
570ml red wine
900g potatoes – quartered
4 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
50g raisins
200g mixed dried fruit – apricots, pears or peaches
570ml vegetable stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1)Soak the haricot beans over night according to the packet instructions, then drain and rinse them again.2)Using a sharp knife, make slits in the lamb. Insert the garlic slices into the meat.
3)Heat the oil in a large casserole dish on the hob. Add the onions and lamb and sauté over a high heat for 5 – 10 minutes or until the meat is brown.
4)Add the wine, potatoes, rosemary, beans, sugar, raisins and dried fruit and pour enough stock to cover all the ingredients.
5)Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 ½ hours. If preferred simmer the cholent ahead of time, cook to this stage and chill until just before Shabbats starts.
6)Pre-heat the oven to its lowest temperature. Cover the casserole dish with foil and then a lid; this helps to keep the heat in and prevents the flavours escaping. Place the dish in the oven and leave to ‘cook’ overnight.
Serve the cholent when you return from the shul!