Spicy Mexican-Inspired Cholent Recipe

(The Nosher via JTA)-I grew up in a traditional Jewish home eating my mom's cholent, which had been my grandma's recipe. It was always one of my favorite meals; I often chose it for birthday dinners and special occasions.

When I moved out, I took the recipe with me-but decided it was time to modernize it a bit and make it my own.

I've always loved food packed with flavor, and I'm a big fan of Mexican food, so I decided to take the family cholent recipe and reimagine it with influences of carne asada or a rustic chili. The result is Mexican cholent. It's spicy and comforting, and a favorite whenever I have friends over. I often pair it with a scoop of guacamole to cool down the heat (but you can always make it less spicy by cutting down on the chilies in adobo sauce or halving the taco seasoning-be bold though!).

Ingredients:

2-pound brisket, fat trimmed (or you can use 4 marrow bones plus 1 pound cubed beef stew)

1 onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 16-ounce bag cholent bean mix OR 2 cups pearl barley and 1 cup dry red kidney beans, soaked in 2 cups warm water for 10 minutes

1 7-ounce can diced green chilies

2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning (or more to taste)

1 heaping tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (or more to taste)

32-ounce vegetable broth

1 cup brussel sprouts, cut in half (optional)

fresh cilantro, guacamole or jalapenos for serving

Directions:

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray.

Add brisket. (You can also substitute the marrow bones and cubed beef stew, or beef flanken.)

Add onion, garlic, potatoes, canned chilies, chipotle in adobo, taco seasoning, beans (or pearl barley plus red kidney beans) and enough vegetable stock to cover. Stir gently to make sure everything is mixed. Add brussels sprouts (optional).

Set slow cooker for 8 hours on low. After 4 hours, check and add more vegetable stock (or water) if it looks too dry. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh cilantro, guacamole or thin slices of jalapeno.

Aly Walansky is a writer and editor with a decade of experience in the lifestyles realm, and contributes to dozens of major publications regularly.

The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.