Casserole of Sefrina with Beef
(click to enlarge)

Sefrina with Beef


Jewish - Morocco   -   Sefrina
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 5 main
**
16+ hrs
Must		 Observant Jews are forbidden to work on the Sabbath, and that includes lighting fires and cooking. The work-around is stews set up before sundown the day before, and left to cook slowly for as long as 18 hours. See History.

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1-1/2
3
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1/3
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4
c
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cl
t
t
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T
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c
Chickpeas dry
Beef & Bones (1)  
Potatoes
Eggs, in shell (2)
-- Seasonings
Garlic
Pepper, black
Ginger, ground
Turmeric
Salt
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Boiling Water

Since few people today have a big pile of culinary grade hot ashes around the house, electric slow cookers and similar devices are now used, or a very slow oven. This recipe is sized to just fit into a 5 quart slow cooker.

  1. Soak CHICKPEAS at least 7 hours, drain and rinse.
  2. Cut BEEF into chunks (see Note-1). Bring a big pot of water to a rolling boil, add all the Beef and Bones, bring back to a boil and cook about 3 minutes. Drain and rinse. This will make for a clearer broth.
  3. Peel POTATOES but leave whole.
  4. Slice GARLIC thin.
  5. Load the slow cooker: Beans on the bottom, then Beef followed by Bones, then Potatoes. Arrange EGGS if including them (see Note-2), then all Seasoning items.
  6. Pour Boiling Water over it all, cover and turn the cooker up to high. When it reaches a simmer turn it down to low. Cooking time should be at least 8 hours.
  7. I suppose the prohibition on work would dictate the pot just be set out without further ado (apparntly that doesn't count as work) - all the parts break up easily with a spoon. Pagans (senso lato includes Christians) have God/desses who aren't such control freaks so we can serve it up any time or way we please - Reform Jews can go either way. Goes well with bread or rice (see Note-3).
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Use a tough stewing cut preferably with just a little fat shot through it for texture. Weight is for boneless, but some bones is normal in Morocco, and also some extra bones for better stock. Beef is often cut into 1/2 pound pieces, but you can cut them smaller if you like - but not too small or they'll disintegrate.

  2. Eggs:

      These are raw eggs in the shell. In Morocco they are added to the stew, but I prefer the Tunisian method where the eggs are separately cooked so I can have as many as I want. They are colored by tea leaves, onion skins, coffee grounds or a combination of these and should still be cooked as long as the stew for color and texture.

  3. Rice:

      In Essaouria, homeland of this recipe, rice (for this size recipe 1-1/2 cups) would be partially cooked (10 minutes), stirred with a little oil, salt, pepper and parsley, and spooned into a loosely woven cloth bag, all before sundown. Near serving time the bag of rice would be stuffed into the stew to finish cooking and then be served with the stew. You'd need something a lot bigger than a 5 quart slow cooker for this method. Better to use an Asian Rice Cooker, they'll keep the rice warm for more than a day.

  4. Leftovers:

      Cut the potatoes into smaller chunks, break up the meat a bit, add some tomato sauce, heat and serve as a pasta sauce.

  5. My Method:

      We Pagans are exept from Jewish Sabbath laws, and I'm generally cooking for an evening event rather than for the next day's lunch. I do things differently.
    1. I put bones and off-cuts into the slow cooker the previous evening and cook all night. In the morning I strain out and discard the bones and debris, then defat the stock using a gravy separator. I clean the cooker so it's ready to make the stew.
    2. I start the eggs mixed with tea leaves and/or onion skins and keep at a low simmer until the stew is nearly done.
    3. After parboiling the beef (see main method) I return it to the cleaned pot and add 4 cups of stock (or 1/2 stock and 1/2 water if the stock is quite strong). I bring it to a boil and keep at a high simmer for 10 minutes or more. This cooking gives the slow cooker a head start.
    4. Meanwhile I start the slow cooker heating on high and put in the beans. When the beef is thoroughly heated I pour it and the stock over the beans, then add the potatoes and seasonings. I cook on high until it's bubbling, then turn to low. It should be done in 6 to 8 hours depending on the size and toughness of the beef lumps.
    5. I peel the eggs and put them into the stew pot for the last hour or so.
    6. Finally I stir it up a bit and serve.

  6. History

      Stews of this sort originate from both Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews. This one was taken to Morocco by Sephardi driven out of Spain and Portugal. Other names and closely related dishes are Adafina (Spain, Maghreb), Hamin, Chamin (Sephardi), Cholent (Eastern Europe), and Shalent (Western Europe). The Cozido of Portugal and the Cocido of Spain are derived from the Sephardic Sefrina / Adafina but do not conform to Jewish food laws or Sabbath prohibitions. Observant Jews. Forbidden to cook on the Sabbath (cooking is considered work) would prepare a one-pot meal on Friday before sundown, which could be left to stay warm in the kitchen embers and feed the family lunch the next day. As with most traditional recipes, ingredients vary. Of course, we Pagans can finish up the stew on the day it is to be served, regardless of what that day might be. Our Gods and Goddesses are on call all day every day (or as they please), and permit work on any day.

  7. Sundown

      Many ancient cultures in Europe and the Near East, considered the next day to begin on Sundown of the current day, thus for Jews, the Sabbath starts at sundown on Friday, and is over at sundown on Saturday - party time!
  8. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove, in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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