Rabbinic Council of America press release on Agriprocessors

The Rabbinic Council of America has issued a press release today on the situation at Agriprocessors. No surprises really -- it takes the allegations seriously but reminds all that they remain allegations only and that the principle of innocent until proven otherwise remains true.

Agriprocessors

Presumably, most anyone reading this has read of the ICE raid on Agriprocessors in Postville, Iowa, and that Agriprocessors is the largest producer of kosher beef in the United States. There have been any of a number of allegations leveled at Agriprocessors, some that I find bemusing (for example, a shochet that was arrested for lack of a work permit was arrested because he failed to ensure the US Government had his correct address on file, and renewal papers did not get to him) and others that I do not find bemusing in the least.

Halakh is VERY explicit on the treatment of workers. Alot has been made of Devarim 24:12, but verses 14 and 15 also are relevant, as I am sure many other passages, as well as interpretations from important Rabbyim from Hillel and Shammai to the present day.

I don't know that this is explicit in Jewish (although it is certainly implicit), but it is very explicit in US law.

The accused is presumed to be innocent until proven otherwise.

I am disappointed in the calls around the country to boycott Agriprocessors. Suppose a boycott were to succeed? Would the company be able to recover from it? How would that effect the short term availability of glatt meat?

Now that being said, the Jewish Star has reported, and the Orthodox Union appears to have affirmed, that Sholom Rubashkin will step down from the leadership of Rubashkin's after a search for a new CEO concludes. I am hearted that the Orthodox Union is pursuing this approach. Likewise, I would hope this change will be a healthy one for the company -- many a company did well with it's founders, but as it prospered and matured, those founders often had to step back from their roles in order for the company to flourish. I hope that a new team there brings greater success to Agriprocessors and it's employees.

I'd like some inspiration with a side of fries please...

Well, with Lag B'Omer this past week, it was rather hectic getting ready for Shabbat. Since I had missed the birthday of one of our regulars, and he's Sephardic, I made Dafina for him, which he always likes. Eggs included this time. I suppose the irony is I put fifteen eggs in there so there would be leftovers for Seudah Shelesheit, and the Rebbitzin gave most of them to kids who were at kiddish. And this was in addition to the hot dogs I had wrapped and cooked in there! "We're gonna have to work on our communication." (Will Smith as USAF Captain Steven Hiller to Jeff Goldblum as David Levinson in Independence Day)

Regardless, I had one or two thing to pick up at the market before Shabbat, and as I walked through the cake mixes to the spices, I noticed Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix. More to the point, I noticed that it is (once again) PARVE.

Now we are not supposed to daven to eat, but eat to daven, so we have a piece of cake on Shabbat morning before Shacharit. I bought the mix and a 9 x 13 pan. Now the question was tovolling the pan! I realized that I would not be passing far from Lake Anne, in Reston, so I took a detour up there and pulled in to the boat launch area. There must have been about a dozen kayakers there. Friendly and all but I bet they wondered what the guy in the Stetson was doing dunking a pan in this lake!

Regardless, the cake was a hit -- next Shabbat, I'll be more prepared and I'll make a proper cake (we certainly have enough flour in the shul!)

Blueberry-Bison Stew

When we last left our hero, Pesach was fast approaching, and rather then try to shoehorn even MORE FOOD into the shul, we agreed to just take a respite from all this and make tuna salad and egg salad.

Well, play time is over and it is time to get back to cooking. I've wanted to try a recipe I came across some weeks ago for a Blueberry/Bison stew. It was pretty easy to put together and was a different flavor from the other stews/cholents that I've done. It has a strong flavor, and really needs barley or rice to soak up some of the liquid, and maybe some vegetables. We'll see if I make it again. Still, like all the other dishes I've made, some people love it, some not so much, and it all gets eaten.

• 1½ - 2 pounds bison, beef, or lamb stew meat
• 1 cup blueberries
• 4 cups chicken or beef stock
• 2 tablespoons canola oil (or pastrami drippings)
• 1½ tablespoons honey
• 3 tablespoons dry sherry (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the meat into one inch chunks and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven or stew pot. Drizzle in oil or bacon dripping to coat the bottom. Working in batches, brown the meat well on all sides. Add oil as necessary. Do not over crowd the pan. Remove browned meat to a clean dish and cover.
3. Once all the meat is browned, return it all to the pan with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and skim off any froth that has collected on the surface until the broth is clear. Add the blueberries, honey, sherry, and cayenne pepper and bring back to a boil.
4. Simmer for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender and the broth has reduced. Stir occasionally. This helps to break up the blueberries and incorporate them into the liquid. By the end of the cooking time the blueberries should be completely incorporated.
5. Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Twas the night after Sedars...

I didn't write this, but it seems to sum up Post-Pesach depression well (no relation to Post Partum Depression...)

Twas the night after Seder, and all through the house
Nothing would fit me, not even a blouse.
The fish and the kugel, (oh my, what a taste)
After both Sedarim went straight to my waist!
When I got on the scale, I couldn't believe it!
The treadmill and kickboxing wouldn't relieve it!

I remembered the marvelous meals I prepared;
The light airy matzah balls that everyone shared.
The brisket, the turkey, the tzimmes were oh so sweet;
Oy, let me recline and get off of my feet.
We drank so much wine and recited each plague,
That right now I'm loggy and my memory vague.

So, please no more matzoh, chopped liver or wine
I'll do my aerobics and never more dine.
I'm walking to shul, so what if it's far?
I'm not even wishing I could take the new car.
With 10 lbs. to lose and 12 inches to shrink,
I'm throwing the seder mints straight down the sink!

Macaroons when wrapped tightly, can so nicely freeze.
Give the sponge cake and cookies away, if you please.
Out of sight, out of mind - by this oath I'll abide;
Bring me broiled chicken - romaine on the side.
I'll stick on that program, to my diet adhere,
And let's all get together for Pesach next year!

Something's not kosher in Dulles...

I noted in a blog posting some days ago that Wegman's carries Solomon's brand Glatt Kosher organic beef (and lamb and buffalo). Now this is terrific because as much as I want to support the local kosher markets, they're in Maryland and they're a pain to get to in the early evening -- rush hour. [This is when the GW Parkway becomes the GW Park-n-wait, but I digress.]

Now before Pesach began, I stopped by Wegman's and noticed that the Solomon's in stock was not K-P, which I thought was odd for Solomon's but I rationalized away as being a peculiarity of Wegman's -- not being a purveyor that caters to the orthodox community, I figured they simply were selling Solomon's non-K-P stock from the pipeline. Well I was surprised today when I went back and saw that the fresh Solomon's stock was STILL not K-P.

Strange. Of course, I'm not making cholent this coming Shabbat either, so I can't say I'm all that worried about it either (save being careful not to by the non-K-P stock after Pesach...)

On being passed over...

Well, the Rebbitzin laid down the law. No cholent for Pesach.

OK, she didn't just lay down the law. We sorta chatted about this, reviewed the logisitical options, and decided that leaving the gas oven on in the shul for 73 hours (generally unattended) straight was really not a terribly bright idea, and that the congregation would survive for two shabbats without cholent.

Of course, we also have all this leftover chicken from the sedars -- chicken salad with nuts and grapes anyone?

Kosher food in specialty supermarkets in Northern Virginia...

One of the challenges of living in Fairfax County is that if you want the best selection of Kosher food, you have to get out your passport and machete to venture forth into this strange place called....

...Montgomery County, Maryland

OK, you're probably thinking that going up to Maryland can't be so bad. It's not far, and despite the melodramatic commentary, not THAT horrific an experience.

Well, there is this small issue of the Potomac River, and more to the point the overly congested Capital Beltway and the Cabin John (pardon me, American Legion Memorial) Bridge. What ought to be a 30 minute drive from my home to Wheaton or Rockville is closer to 90 minutes or more on a weeknight.

Suffice to say, this is not a prospect I happily relish.

Fortunately, I've discovered some alternatives, and I'd like to sing their praises today:

View Larger Map

• Wegman's (two locations, near Dulles Airport off Route 28 and near the Fairfax County Government Offices). Wegman's is an upscale grocery chain based in New York State, but has recently expanded to the Washington DC area, with these two stores (they are planning stores in Maryland too). Wegman's has clearly decided to pursue the Jewish market, as they have a dedicated section for refrigerated and frozen kosher foods, including Solomon's Glatt Kosher meats and Neshama brand glatt kosher sausage. The prices are competitive with the stores across the river, although their stock depends on what their supplier has. Still, it beats the Beltway!
• Trader Joe's (Six locations in Fairfax County [Reston, Tyson's Corner, Chantilly, Fairfax City, Springfield, and Bailey's Crossroads] and one in Old Towne Alexandria). Trader Joe's is a specialty grocery chain from California, and they carry Empire poultry at all their locations, as well as Aaron's Glatt Kosher Free Range Chicken in Reston, Tyson's Corner, and Fairfax. Although they carry kosher beef (David's), it's not glatt kosher. Still, there is hope. Maybe we can get them to carry Solomon's too?
• Shopper's Food Warehouse (Fairfax City location only). SFW is a small DC area grocery store, and as such, they try to serve the needs of their local community (viz the larger chains -- Giant Food and Safeway). The Fairfax City location is but a few blocks from Chabad of Fairfax and not all that far from Chabad of Tyson's Corner. Now their selection of meat is not up to Wegman's or ever Trader Joes, BUT, they have a respectable selection of Cholov Yisroel products, a large selection of kosher packaged goods, as well as a large selection of prepared frozen kosher foods.
  

So while at the end of the day, Koshermart, Shalom's, and Shaul's will always have a large consistent stock of foods for the community here in Northern Virginia, it's nice to know there are options here in NoVA itself.

And on that note, it's off to Koshermart. [Hey, it's Sunday, there's no traffic...]

On Birthdays and Candy...

Of course normally on Motzei Shabbat (or sometimes perhaps a bit latter), I'll post the recipe for whatever cholent I made the preceding Shabbat. Well, this past Shabbat I decided that the cholent I made the preceding week was pretty good, but needed tweaking, so I made it again with two changes:

• I used tomato sauce instead of water
• I changed the ratio of frozen vegetables to meat from 2:1 to 1:1

I also used Neshama brand Andouille Sausage instead of beef, although frankly the choice of beef is entirely up to whomever is making the meal.

Since this kiddish we honored our Rabbi and Rabbitzin's 6 YO daughter (soon to be a big 7!), I also bought a package of hot dogs for the kids. This worked out exceptionally well for the kids -- I simply took the hot dogs out of the package, double wrapped them in aluminum foil and put it on top of the cholent to heat up when I put everything up Erev Shabbat. The kids ate 'em up!

And a cute story from Shabbat today.

One of our congregants has a little boy, three or four years old. Cute kid, but then again, all kids that age are cute. Regardless, Gabe comes in and in a quiet, measured, and clear voice asserts:

"I want candy."

[He's four -- if you want Shakespeare, you are in the wrong place.]

He's not loud, and he's certainly not annoying or disruptuve (save me and his dad buckling over in laughter), but he IS determined! It was his mantra that morning, "I want candy. (Pause.) I want candy." and so on.

We did FINALLY get him over to where his Dad and I were sitting and could actually satisfy his request, but in the interim, it was entirely too funny from the perspective of a parent!

Chunky Beef Vegetable Soup

Again, this was an easy dish to put together. But then again, it came from the insert from the box of crock pot liners! Still, it was quite flavorful.

The original recipe called for about a 2:1 ratio of frozen vegetables to beef. I've changed that to 1:1 as there were way too many veggies and not enough beef. It also was, well, um, soup, and I really want something thicker. Maybe next time I will use tomatoes instead of water.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Vegetable Juice (Bolthouse Farms is O-U parve)
• 4 cups Hot water
• 3 lb Stew beef (cubed)
• 12 c Frozen mixed vegetables
• 4 Medium potatos (peeled and cubed)
• 2 Small onion (chopped)
• ½ c Ketchup
• 6 tblsp beef bouillion mix (3/8 c)
• 1 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Pour liquid (water, juice, ketchup), pepper and buillion into cooker, stir
2. Add Beef, vegetables, potatoes, onions, pepper. Stir

Cook 8 - 9 hours on low

Lentil Cholent with Date Honey

This cholent, while not especially difficult to make, proved a challenge for me to scale, as I was not prepared for how much the lentils and the beans would expand after being soaked.

It was otherwise unremarkable in preparation, and yes, once more, no leftovers.

I really have to try harder. Maybe if I make a veggie cholent of just hot peppers....

Ingredients:

Cholent: 3 yellow onions, peeled and chopped 4 Tblsp oil 4 Tblsp Date syrup (Silan) 3½ lb. flanken (cubed) 3-4 marrow bones (tell the butcher you want bones for cholent) 12-15 small potatoes 1 lb Mixed dried beans for cholent (or half red, half white) 1 cup pearl barley 1½ cups green lentils 2 Tsp salt 2 Tsp Black pepper

Optional ingredients: 1 stuffed kishke 8 eggs (use the other 4 for dumpling) 1½ Tblsp Paprika 1½ Tsp Cumin ¾ Tsp Ground Cinnamon ½ Tsp Ground Tumeric Bread dumpling: Cheesecloth 3 yellow onions 150 grams margarine salt and pepper 2 Tbs. honey 8 slices of old bread, coarsely shredded 4 eggs about one-half cup flour

Directions:

1. On the morning before you plan to make the cholent, rinse the beans, barley and lentils well and soak them in hot water.
2. In the afternoon, fry the onions in oil in the cholent pot.
3. Peel potatoes (if using medium potatoes) and place in pot together with all ingredients except for eggs and dumpling.
4. Fill pot with water, cover and bring to boil.
5. Lower flame and simmer for one and a half hours.
6. Hard-boil eggs in another pot.
7. Prepare the dumpling:

• Fry onion in margarine with honey.
• Add bread and stir until brown, remove from flame.
• Add eggs, then flour, salt and pepper.
• The batter should be relatively stiff. If too thin, add a bit more flour.
• Spread cloth napkin or one-quarter of a cloth diaper on work surface.
• Pour batter into it and tie ends together.
• Place bundle in the cholent pot.

8. Add eggs.
9. Place pot in oven, preferably on middle rack (or lower, depending on height of pot) - but not on floor of oven.
10. Adjust temperature to 110° C / 250° F and leave in oven for 14 hours at least

Niku Jaga (Japanese Beef Stew in the Crock Pot)

This is an exceptionally easy stew to make. I weighed out the potatoes and substituted a like mass of baby potatoes (each one was small enough to fit into a cereal spoon). All you do is dice the onion, cube the meat, mix together the base (water, sake, sugar, soy sauce, and soy sauce), through it all in the crock put and cook.

2 lbs beef brisket
1 cup water
½ cup Japanese Sake
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp salt
½ lb baby carrots
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 white onion, diced

Put everything in a crock pot, cook 10 - 12 hours on low, 4 to 6 on high.

Sensei and Takura are purported to have explicitly supervised sakes, but Star-K asserts that (unflavored) sake does not require certification. The London Bet Din asserts Choya Sake is kosher. Go figure....

I can't believe they ate the whole thing.

Once more I am forced to make a confession. Last week there was left over cholent, this week I'm just in shock. I screwed up the expansion of the chili recipe and ended up with about 10 to 12 quarts of chili.

Not only that, I put in a healthy amount of Jabañero chili peppers (although I did leave out the ground Cayenne pepper)

Even the Rebbitzin told me I made too much and I had to agree!

Well, once more, the congregation made All Gone. [OK, it took until Seudah Shlisheit, but still...]

I'm not sure, but I think I have tapped in to a need here...

Dana Sly's Blue Ribbon Vegan Cornbread

Ingredients:

• Step 2
  2 Tblsp Ground Flax Seed
  6 Tblsp Water
  
  
• Step 3
  1 Cup All Purpose Flour
  1 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
  ¼ Cup Sugar
  ¾ Tsp Salt
  
  
• Step 4
  1 Cup Soy Milk (WARNING: Not all Soy Milk is parve!)
  ¼ Cup Canola Oil

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
4. Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth (do not overbeat.)
5. Turn into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert cornbread onto wire rack, then turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into pieces (3 by 3) and serve.

Beef Chili with Kidney Beans

Prepare in advance:
Chop two medium onions in a fine dice; core one red bell pepper, remove seeds, and cut into ½ squares

Step 1 Ingredients 2 tblsp vegetable or corn oil 2 medium yellow onions, chopped fine 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, cut into ½ squares 6 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed ¼ cup chili powder 1 tblsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• Step 3 and 4
  2 lbs lean (85%) ground beef
  
  
• Step 5
  30 oz canned dark red kidney beans
  28 oz can diced tomatoes
  28 oz can tomato puree
  Salt
  

1. Heat oil in dutch over over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking
2. Add onions, bell peppers, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne. Cook (stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
3. Increase heat to medium high and add half the beef. Cook, breaking up hunks with a wooden spoon until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes
4. Add the remaining beef, and cook, breaking up hunks with a wooden spoon until no longer pink and just beginning to brown, also about 3 to 4 minutes
5. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato puree, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally for 1 hour.
6. Remove cover, simmer for one more hour.
   

It was bound to happen....

Really.

I knew it would happen in time. The string could not be unbroken.

Yes.

There were leftovers today.

One lonely piece of daikon (Chinese radish). ;-)

This week for the deli roll I just used some roasted chicken, frozen mixed veggies, and marinara sauce. I need to talk to the Mashgiach Meistress. Someone cut the thing into itty-bitty pieces! Oy...

A Chinese Stew

Ingredients

Step		Amount	Ingredient	Notes	Directions
1	3	pounds	Beef Brisket	(aka stew beef)	Trim away outer layers of fat. Cut meat into ½" strips, then cut strips into cubes
2	3	tablespoons	Peanut Oil		Brown meat on all sides
3	3	tablespoons	Hoisin Sauce		Combine sauce ingredients together and bring to boil
	¼	cup	Shaoxing wine	Dry Sherry (Tio Pepe) is an alternate
	¼	cup	Soy Sauce	Make sure it is approved to use with meat. Soy Sauce can be made with fish and the concentration needs to be very low
	1	tablespoon	Garlic	minced
	1	each	Star Anise	whole (can sub ½ tsp Anise seed)
	1	teaspoon	Szechuan Peppercorns	roasted and crushed
	1	teaspoon	Five spice powder
	2	teaspoons	Sugar
	6	cups	Water
	1	tablespoon	Peanut Oil
4					Add beef to sauce, cook for 1½ hours
5	1½	each	Daikon	aka Chinese radish; Roll cut (See below)	Add daikon, cook for 30 minutes

Hoison sauce (½ Cup) -- Mix together:

4 tablespoons soy sauce (See above)	1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons peanut butter or black bean paste	2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey or molasses or brown sugar	20 drops chinese hot sauce, habenero or jalepeno
2 teaspoons white vinegar	1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Notes

• Tough beef is most flavorful, but you must simmer it gently for several hours to soften the sinewy muscle. This slow braising also encourages an exchange of flavors between the meat and the tangy sauce, enhancing both. Game meats or goat meat may be substituted for the beef for a delicious and unusual variation. Veal shanks can also be braised in this manner. Almost any cut of meat or organ that requires extensive cooking does well if braised.
• The strong sauce keeps the meat flavorful throughout.
• Daikon (chinese radish) adds just the right bite, much as turnips would in a Western stew. In effect, this is Chinese beef stew. Turnips or carrots may be substituted for the Chinese radish; Chestnuts have a strong, sweet taste that holds up well to braising.
• To make a roll cut, square off the end of the daikon. Make a diagonal slice and roll daikon ¼ turn and slice again. Continue rolling and cutting until done.

Makes 6 servings.

Haaaaaaaang on! Help is on its way! (Vayak'hel / 24 Adar I 5768)

Well, I had been planning to make a Chinese Stew for this Shabbat, but I got a note from our Shabbat Kiddish Meistriss that one of the other folks that helps had asked to make Cholent. I'm not sure, but I think I could adapt to a week's relief from making Cholent and I'll post our Guest Cholent Meistriss' recipe next week.

In the meanwhile, I made Deli Rolls for kiddish. Simple enough really:

1 Package of Puff Pastry (Pepperidge Farm is OU Parve)
1 pound of deli meat (Turkey, Pastrami, Corned Beef, etc.)
Mustard of your choice (brown mustard, yellow mustard, etc.)
Sauerkraut or Coleslaw
Yellow corn meal
Egg whites, Duck Sauce, or other spread of your choice for a glaze
Sesame Seeds

• Take the puff pastry and let it defrost so the dough is still firm, but can be opened (It is folded in thirds.)
• Spread the mustard over the center third
• Layer half the meat in the center
• Place some sauerkraut or coleslaw down the center of the meat
• Fold one third of the pastry over the meat
• Spread mustard over the top
• Layer meat
• Add sauerkraut or coleslaw down the center of the meat
• Fold the remaining third of the top of the roll
• Spread cornmeal on the baking sheet
• Place the roll SEAM SIDE DOWN on the baking sheet
• Glaze the top of the roll
• (Optional) Spread sesame seeds over top
• Bake until brown (400°F for 25 minutes)
  

Maybe next time I will get some nice sausage (Neshama Gourmet comes to mind), or use stir-fried beef with slivered carrots and teriyaki sauce instead of mustard for an Asian flavor...

Trader Joe's is EVIL I tell you!

Evil, EVIL, EEEEEEEEEEEVIL!!!

In an post over on Capitol Chai Life, I mentioned that in the past few years, there was a question raised about the consequence of the use of a feed in cows that improved their milk production, that it caused an unhealthy build-up of intensinal gasses.

Fortunately (for the cows), there exists a simple solution, to make a small puncture in the abdomen and into the intestines that lets the gas escape. Problem solved.

And Problem created.

Treyf technically refers to an animal that has been slashed, and such an animal is not kosher, even if it is an acceptable species, like cattle. So a large number of Rabbis debated whether puncturing cows in this manner actually rendered them tomai -- impure. Since the wound closed immediately, the overwhelming number of Rabbis agreed that this procedure did NOT render the specific cow impure. That being said, a small and vocal minority argued it DID render the cow impure, and so it was decided to err on caution. Of course, the only way to ensure you have cows that were not subject to this is to strictly supervise them, and thus Cholov Yisroel provides that solution.

And thus my dilemmma, as there is no ready source of a variety of Cholov Yisroel products near my home. Now milk is fairly easy, as there are a multitude of soy milks at the local market. Other products such as yogurt and ice cream are problematic, as the local stock is limited, and what they have is only mediocre.

And in steps Trader Joes.

Soy Cream Cherry Chocolate Chip Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert -- the parve answer to Cherry Garcia. Ooooooooooo baby! (Evil I tell you! Evil, evil, evil, evil!!! Ahahahahahaha! Ha! Haha!)

One week only! Two for one! (Ki Tisa / 17 Adar I 5768)

The Mom of one of our regular daveners is here in town for the week, including Shabbat. Since she is vegetarian, I'm planning on making a vegetarian stew for her and most of the congregation.

Now that being said, there are those of us who want a meat cholent, and who like spicy food. So there will be a SECOND stew, a Jamaican Chicken Curry. Yum!

Jamaican Chicken Curry

Step	Amt	Measure	Ingredient	Notes	Direction
1	1	Medium	Yellow onion	Diced	Cook Onion and Pepper in oil, until it softens
	1		Red Bell Pepper	1" dice
	2		Jabanero peppers	Fine dice
	1	Tblsp	Canola Oil
2	2	Tblsp	Fresh Ginger	Minced	Add Ginger and Garlic; cook until fragrant
	3	Cloves	Garlic	Minced
3	2	Tsp	Curry Power		Add spices and stir one minute
	1	Tsp	Allspice
	1	Tsp	Cumin
4	2	Lbs	Chicken breasts	Cubed	Put mixture into crock pot. Add chicken
5	2	Cups	Chicken stock		Pour chicken stock over chicken and vegetables.

• Pour chicken stock over all, stir, and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
• Season to taste, and serve with rice and green veggies.

Layered Vegetarian Dinner

Step	Amt	Measure	Ingredient	Notes	Direction
1	6	Large	Potatoes		Layer vegetables in a large casserole in the order listsd
	1	Large	Yellow Onion
	2		Carrots
	1		Green Bell Pepper
	1		Zucchini
	1	Cup	Frozen Corn	So long as the only ingredient is the vegetable, a specific hecshur
	1	Cup	Frozen Peas	is not needed. See Rabbi Baruch Davidson on chabad.org.
2	2½	Cups	Tomato sauce	Hunts is certified by O-K	Mix together sauce; pour over vegetables
	¼	Cup	Low Sodium Soy Sauce
	1	Tsp	Ground Thyme
	1	Tsp	Dry Mustard
	1	Tsp	Basil
	2	Tsp	Chili Powder
	½	Tsp	Cinnamon
		Pinch	Sage
	2	Tblsp	Parsley

Cook six hours at high or 12 at low.

I can understand running out of vinegar... (Tetzaveh / 10 Adar I 5768)

...I mean really, how many of us keep that close tabs on our vinegar supply.

But my Rabbi and Rebbitzin have four kids! How do you run out of KETCHUP???

Fortunately, this week's cholent is a variation on Brunswick Stew, a regional dish that traces its origins to the southeast United States (i.e. Brunswick, GA).

Back in the day, people in the 18th and 19th century United States, (especially in the Southern US, where there was little livestock farming), ate whatever game they had available -- squirrel, opossum, rabbit. These are gamier and leaner meats then we are accustomed to. In order to make these meats palatable, the people around Brunswick (depending upon whom you ask, Brunswick, Georgia or Brunswick County, Virginia) created a stew with local vegetables (either lima beans or butter beans, corn, rice, okra, and celery).

Now today, instead of worrying about hunting game for our supper, we worry about getting to the market through the traffic (to find ketchup and vinegar apparently!), so the meats used in this stew have also changed. The Virginia version (the basis for this week's cholent) relies on chicken, while the Georgia version relies on pork (which obviously will not be used.)

Oh, so why is it fortunate that this week's cholent is Brunswick Stew? Because I had two hours between when I precooked the meat to when I needed the ketchup (and the vinegar). Even in traffic clogged Washington DC, that was PLENTY of time to get to the market and back.

Update -- Saturday night 10:30 pm

I'm a victim of my own success. These guys went through two gallons of stew!

Brunswick Stew

Important note: Okra is a seasonal vegetable. You will only be able to find fresh Okra in the spring. According to Chabad, frozen vegetables do not require certification in and of themselves. On still needs to take care to inspect for bugs and you may want to restrict yourself to frozen organic vegetables, which tend not to have added ingregients that MUST be kosher. Frozen vegetables used on Passover however MUST be certified.

Step		Amount	Ingredient	Notes	Directions
1	2	pounds	Chicken breasts	With skin and bones	Place chicken and beef in pot with water to cover, bring to boil, turn down to a simmer and cook 1 hour until chicken is falling from the bones.
	1	pound	Stew beef		Remove chicken and remove skin and bones. Continue to cook beef another hour or until tender.
2	1	pint	Butter beans	Canned works	While meat cooks prepare veggies.
	½	pound	Okra	Sliced
	2		Onions	Medium, sliced
	2		Potatos	Large, diced
	¼	Cup	Ketchup
	½	bunch	Celery	Sliced
3	½	Cup	Vinegar		Remove beef from broth and set aside to cool.
	¾	Cup	Sugar		Place cut up veggies (except corn and tomatoes) in broth with all seasonings and cook over high heat about 12 mins. or until tender crisp.
	½	Tsp	Black Pepper
	½	Tsp	Red Pepper
	1	Tsp	Salt
	1	Tsp	Mustard
4	16	Oz	Corn	Frozen bag	Meanwhile, cut meats into small pieces, add to veggies, stir in corn and tomatoes, cook about 5 minutes, continue to cook over low heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens (a little flour mixed with water can be used if you want it thicker.
	24	Oz	Tomatoes	Canned; peeled and chopped
5	¼	lb	Margarine	unsalted	Add margarine and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook another 5 minutes.
Opt		Dash	Worcestshire
		Dash	Paprika
		Dash	Basil
		Dash	Parsley
	1		Bay leaf

See also Burgoo

L'Chaim France! (Terumah / 3 Adar I 5768)

Thursday late night, 7 Feb 08 / 1 Adar I 5768

Below, I noted that at least one of the kids last Shabbat had a simple piece of feedback abouit Dafina -- MORE MEAT!

Now I don't take this as an indicator that there was not enough meat in the Dafina (I think I used about 3½ pounds of chuck roast when all was said and done), but rather Kids Like Meat. They don't want vegetables, potatoes, and other fillers, they want beef (It's whats for dinner you know. Or lunch in this case.) Serendipitously, I had planned to make Boeuf Bourguinon this Shabbat (also known as Beef Burgundy in English).

Now classic Beef Burgundy is out of the question, as it relies on prohibited foods (a small amount of bacon), so I've made some minor changes -- the use of "beef fry" (very fatty pastrami) and the rendered fat from the chuck itself. I made a test batch earlier this week, and I would expect the kids to be Happy Campers this Shabbat. See for yourself.

For what it's worth, those are red pearl onions, carrot slices, and celery that are on top. Everything below is Beef.

Update Saturday night, 9 Feb 08 / 3 Adar I 5768

Once more, another hit with the cholent, although my young friend who wanted an all beef cholent may have discovered that he should be careful what he asks for, he WILL get it!

In fairness though, I think I made a pretty dumb error -- I can't remember adding salt to the dish!

Also, I need not have bothered with red pearl onions. They look nice above, but after cooking in the cholent, they were pretty much brown like everything else. Tasty, but brown.

We may have two cholents this coming Shabbat -- the Rabbi's brother wants to make cholent, but I'm skeptical he will come down from Philadelphia just to do that. I'm thinking about Cincinnati Chili, especially if I can get the Rebbitzin to make spaghetti.

Beef Bourguignon

Ingredients

Directions

Amount Ingredient 2¼ Cups Dry Red Wine 4½ tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons Dry Minced Onion 1½ teaspoons Thyme 1½ tablespoons Parsley flakes 2 Bay leaves ¾ teaspoon Pepper 6 pounds Chuck roast ¾ cup Flour 1 teaspoon Salt 12 slices Beef fry (Fatty Pastrami) (diced) ¾ cup Yellow Onion (chopped) 18 Pearl Onions 3 Garlic cloves (minced) ¾ pound Mushrooms (quartered) 3 ribs Celery (sliced) 3 Carrots (diced)

Trim fat from beef, and cut into 1" cubes. Place fat on skillet at ¼ heat and allow it to render. Save the rendered fat for use in step 6. Thoroughly combine first 7 ingredients Add beef and marinate at least 4½ hours at room temperature, or overnight in refrigerator. Drain meat, reserving marinade. Place meat in removable liner; sprinkle with flour and salt and toss to coat meat. [Use more flour if needed.] Remove remains of fat from skillet and fry pastrami in rendered fat; fry chopped onion (until slightly brown), add garlic and fry for 30 seconds; remove onions, garlic and pastrami with slotted spoon and add to meat in liner. Saute mushrooms in remaining pastrami fat (add chicken fat if needed). Remove mushrooms with slotted spoon and add to meat-onion mixture. Pour reserved 1 cup of marinade over all. Add pearl onions, celery and carrots to meat-onion mix. Place liner in base. Cover and cook on auto 7 hours; or low 10-12 hours; or high 5 hours.

Notes: Needs 6 qt crock pot; 12" skillet for frying pastrami, onions, and mushrooms.

Morocco rules -- Dafina and Kouclas (Mishpatim / 26 Shevat 5768)

So this past week I made Dafina (a Moroccan cholent) with Kouclas (Morccan meat dumplings). And I was SURROUNDED by all these BEAUTIFUL, SINGLE, women! Now if they hadn't been only old enough to be my daughters.

Seriously though, the gals were making Challah for Shabbat while I was making the Cholent.

This would be the first Shabbat I was making Cholent on my own (as it were). Although last week I did make it, that effort was more of a test drive to check the logistics of putting everything together, the Rebbitzin was floating around, and it was one of her recipes. Now don't get me wrong -- it was a fine cholent and all, and lots of folks liked it, but part of the idea here is to take the burden off the woman (in addition to give back to my community, provide a means to express myself creatively through food, etc., etc.

Adding to the irony here is that this is Shabbat Mishpatim, where the different rules that make up Halacha (Jewish Law) are first really enumerated on their own, including some of the dietary laws that make up Kashrut.

Note: While different halachot are specified earlier in Torah, they've been done within the context of some larger historical event -- the Flood, the Akeidah (the sacrifice of Isaac), the Exodus from Egypt, and so on. Here, the statutes that make up Jewish Law first come on their own, with Eretz Yisrael asserting "We will obey, and we will understand".

Regardless, while last week's cholent was only about 4 quarts worth, and there must have been about a pint left over; the Dafina and Kouclas was over six quarts and NO leftovers! I daresay, it was a hit.

For what it's worth, I made two Kouclas, instead of one, and shaped them as logs, not as large meatballs. What you can do when you serve them is also place rolls, ketchup, mustard, and relish, and the kids can have them as Shabbat friendly hamburgers! [One of the kids asked me to make a cholent next week with hot dogs -- he should be careful, he may get what he asked for in a couple weeks. Kosher Jambalaya anyone?]

Dafina (Moroccan Sabbath Stew)

Amount	Ingredient	Amount	Ingredient	Directions:
1 recipe	Kouclas (Dumpling - Rice & Meat)	5 or 6	Pitted Dates	Soak the chickpeas in water overnight. Drain. Prepare Kouclas. Heat the oil in a 6- to 8-quart pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add, without mixing, the chickpeas, garlic, bones, meat, potatoes or bulgur, dates or honey, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric or saffron, salt, and pepper. Place the kouclas atop the dafina and arrange the eggs around it. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, occasionally skimming the foam, for 1 hour. Tightly cover the pot, place on a blech (a thin sheet of metal placed over the stove top) over low heat or in a 225-degree oven, and cook overnight. [Alternately, transfer to a slow crock-type cooker set on low to cook overnight.] Dafina is traditionally separated into different dishes before serving: the chickpeas and cooking liquid in one bowl, the eggs in a second, the potatoes in a third, the meat in a fourth, and the dumplings in a fifth.
8 Ounces	Dried Chickpeas (~1¼ cups)	3 Tblsp	Honey
3 Tblsp	Vegetable Oil	1 Tblsp	Paprika
2 Medium	Yellow Onions	1 Tsp	Ground Cumin
4 Whole	Garlic cloves	½ Tsp	Ground Cinnamon
1 pound	Beer or Veal Marrow bones	¼ Tsp	Ground Tumeric
3 pounds	Chuck Roast (cut into 1" cubes)	~2 Tsp	Salt
4 pounds	Potatoes, peeled and quartered		Pepper
		6 to 8	Eggs (Optional)

Kouclas bi Ruz (Rice Dumpling [with meat])

Amount	Ingredient	Amount	Ingredient	Directions
1 Cup	Rice	1 tsp	Ground Cinnamon	Beat eggs lightly Add cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, walnuts, parsley, and salt to eggs; beat to combine Knead egg mixture into lamb Knead rice into egg/lamb mixture Form into long, narrow loaf; wrap in cheesecloth, and secure with kitchen twine
4 oz	Ground Lamb	1 tsp	Ground Mace
½ Cup	Ground Walnuts	1 tsp	Grated Nutmeg
½ Cup	Chopped fresh Parsley	½ tsp	Salt
2	Large Eggs		Pepper (to taste)
	Cheesecloth		Kitchen twine