Comfort Food Week: Cornbread & Cholent

Jewish comfort food + Southern comfort food = one giant dose of comfort.
This fusion pairing of cornbread and cholent comes from our friend Sheila Leibovic, who hails from the great southern city of Atlanta. Cholent is one of those quintessentially Jewish dishes that we typically think goes so well with some spiciness — serrano peppers, say, or red chili flakes thrown in. During the time of mourning, though, adding extra flavors for enhancement felt a little…off. So we were grateful for these simple and hardy dishes on their own. Thank you, Sheila!

Cornbread

• 2 cups self rising white cornmeal

• 1\4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 1\2 cups non dairy soy or silk or milk if you prefer

• 1 egg lightly beaten

Mix all ingredients and pour into pre-heated iron skillet (with 4 tablespoons vegetable oil heated) or use muffin pans (nonstick). Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake 20 minutes.

Cholent

• Prepare and cook in crock pot the night before serving.

• 2 lbs beef ribs cut up with bone-in (Kosher butchers will know what you need)

• 2\3 cup dried lima beans

• 2\3 cup dried pinto beans

• 2\3 cup dried pearl barley

• 1 cubed potato

• 1 chopped white or yellow onion

• 1\4 cup vegetable oil

• 1-2 tablespoons salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

Prepare cholent early evening (around 5 or 6 ). Pour oil in bottom of crock pot. Add beef, chopped onion, washed and dried beans. Pour 5 cups water over ingredients. Cook on high until 10 or 11pm. Cook on low until lunch next day. Ready to eat  anytime after 10:00 am.