Hamin (Sephardic and Italian "Cholent"

Amarante

Tue, Mar 07 2017, 4:13 pm

I'm reading Gil Marks' Ecyclopedia of Jewish Food. Fascinating reading even if you aren't a foodie since it isn't so much a cookbook as giving information in all manner of Jewish ingredients, dishes and customs throughout the world so one can learn about the customs and mores of Indian or Chinese Jews as well as the more well known Ashkenazi or Sephardic tribes. Very Happy

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The Sephardic version of cholent is somewhat familiar but the spices are more typically Northern Africa but the Italian version is completely different.

And amazing that the Conversos clung to the tradition of cholent without having any knowledge of their roots until fairly recently.

Excerpt From: Marks, Gil - Encyclopedia of Jewish Food

At present, in parts of Spain as well as parts of Central and South America and the American Southwest, places where there were no overt Jews, some home cooks, many of them practicing Catholics, still prepare a bean and meat stew on Friday and let the dish cook overnight, a residual effect of the Inquisition's pursuit of Conversos into the New World. It is probable that the classic Tex-Mex chili con carne, which developed in the hinterlands north of the Rio Grande (away from the Inquisition) and contained the basic ingredients of hamin—slow-simmered meat cubes, beans, onions, and cumin—with the addition of American chilies, derived from the Sabbath stews of Conversos.

Italian Sabbath Stew (Hamin)

6 to 8 servings

Meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken breast
½ cup fresh bread crumbs or matza meal
1 large egg
About ¾ teaspoon salt
About ½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 clove garlic, mashed, or pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

Greens:

2 pounds fresh chard or spinach
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Hamin:
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
3 medium yellow onions, sliced
4 fresh sage leaves or 1 teaspoon dried sage
1½ pounds beef or veal marrow or neck bones
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck, whole or cut into 2-inch cubes
2 cups dried white beans
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
About 2 teaspoons table salt or 4 teaspoons kosher salt
About ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
About 2 quarts water

1. To make the meatballs: Combine all the meatball ingredients and form into ½-inch balls.

2. To make the greens: Separate the chard leaves from the stems. Cut the tender stems into ½-inch- wide pieces and the leaves into 1-inch pieces. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and sauté until wilted. Top with the meatballs, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the chard is tender and the meatballs are cooked, about 20 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate until shortly before using.

3. To make the hamin: In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sage and sauté until golden, about 15 minutes. In the order given, add the bones, beef, beans, salt, pepper, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over a medium-low heat or bake in a 375°F oven until the beans are nearly soft, about 1½ hours.

4. Add more water if necessary. Cover the pot tightly. Place on a blech (a thin sheet of metal placed over the range top and knobs) over low heat or in a 200°F oven and cook for at least 6 hours or overnight.

5. Shortly before serving, stir the meatballs and chard into the hamin and let stand until heated through.

Sephardic Sabbath Stew (Hamin)

5 to 6 servings

¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
4 to 5 pounds (5 to 6 small) lamb shanks, lamb neck with bone, or beef short ribs (or 2 pounds beef brisket cut into 2-inch cubes and 2 pounds lamb or beef bones)
3 medium yellow onions, sliced
3 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
1½ to 2 cups dried fava, navy, or lima beans, or any combination, soaked in water to cover for 8 hours and drained
6 to 8 medium (2 to 2½ pounds) potatoes, peeled and halved or quartered
1 cup (6.75 ounces) wheat berries or long-grain rice
About 2 teaspoons table salt or 4 teaspoons kosher salt
About ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
About 2 quarts water
5 to 6 eggs in shell

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove the meat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.

2. Return the meat and add the beans, potatoes, wheat berries, salt, pepper, cumin, optional cinnamon, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the beans are nearly soft, about 1 hour.

3. Add more water if necessary. Place the eggs on top and push into the liquid. Cover tightly, place on a thin sheet of metal placed over the range top and knobs over low heat or in a 200°F oven, and cook overnight.