Recipe - Vegetarian Stew Cholent

1/3 cup Dried soy beans; (then don't
mush during the
cooking)Soaked, up to 1/2
12 Dried shiitake mushrooms
soked enough to remove
stems; or so
Water you soaked the
mushrooms in
1 tablespoon Olive or vegetable oil; up
to 3
3 Very large carrots or 1 lb
regular carrots peeled and
chunked
6 md Potatoschunked; not peeled
1 lg Or 2 medium onions
1 lg Green pepper
3 Stalks celery; up to 4
1 Smashed cloves of garlic; up
to 3
l (8 oz) can tomato sauce
One half cup Wine; either dry sherry or
other dry wine, up to 3/4
2 teaspoon Vegetable or chickenflavor;
(parve) soup powder, up to
3
12 Whole cloves
10 Whole peppercorns; up to 12
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Water; 12 cups if needed
6 Eggs in their shells;
(optional)

Source: Joy of Cooking and Wendy Baker

Quantity: 5 qt crock pot full

I finally hit the jackpot with a cholent for vegetarians that tasted great
to my noncholentloving family. It is based on my version of the Gaston
Beef Stew recipe in my old Joy of Cooking, which has been my basic stew
recipe for many years. Essentially, I removed the meat and added some soy
beans and dried shiitake mushrooms. It is not an exact measure recipe. I
use lots of carrots because I love the taste of stewstewed carrots. You
can use less. The individual foods held their integrity and shape.

Soak soy beans and mushrooms ahead. chop 1/3 of the large or 2/3 of the
medium onion and 1/3 third of the green pepper. smash and chop the garlic.
Heat oil, in your crock pot if it can take it, or in a small frying pan and
saute the chopped vegetables until lightly browned. If you used your crock
pot push the sauteed vegetable aside and start layering. Put potatos and
carrots on the bottom then soy beans then other vegetables. Add
seasonings,sauteed vegetables if not already in, soup powders and liquids.
pour the mushroom liquid carefully so you don't get the sandy sediment from
the bottom. Put in eggs, if using. Liquid will not come to the top of the
vegetables, but don't worry, extra liquid will be produced during the
cooking. If your crock pot can take it, bring to a boil before setting the
pot to cook overnight. Seal the cover (I used aluminum foil) and set on a
low heat an hour or so before Shabbat comes in. On my West Bend I use
setting 2, out of 5.

After Shul serve for lunch and enjoy. The eggs make it a complete meal with
just a salad added. It should serve at least 6 for a main course and many
more if used as a first course.

Posted to JEWISHFOOD digest by "W. Baker" wbaker@panix.com on Jan 3,
1999, converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.