Small cholent #1

This past Shabbos, I made a successful cholent for two. The challenge of the small cholent is resisting the urge to fill the crock pot and to keep it from burning.

For small cholent, we purchased a 2-quart crock pot, in contrast with our usual 4-quart and 6-quart models. The 2-quart crock pot has developed cracks and is sitting in limbo while we ponder returning it to the manufacturer.

Previous attempts to make the small cholent in a larger crock pot resulted in cholent waste or burnt cholent.

To eliminate cholent waste before it happens, keep an eye on the ingredients before they hit the pot. I tend to cook by improvisation so my usual technique is to look at the pot and wonder what else I can put inside.

To avoid burnt cholent, it's very important to make sure the water level is high. Normally, in a full crock pot cholent, the ideal is to add enough water so it just covers the solid ingredients. There is enough stuff inside to keep the heat distributed well. When you under-fill the crock pot, the food inside is in danger of being burned because the little food inside will have to absorb the same amount of heat. Always err on the side of soupy.

Having little time before Shabbos this week, I took a couple shortcuts.

• 1 package of "cholent meat"
• 1 can of whole potatoes
• 1 can of baked beans
• some barley (about 3/4 cup?)

Having no time to prepare fresh, spicy ingredients, I used cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Experimental spices included turmeric and a small amount of cumin. For an extra "beefy" flavor, I also dumped in some Osem Beef bullion.

My wife enjoyed it, but she might have enjoyed it more without the Indian spices. An all around solid cholent with few complaints.