The weather in Virginia has turned considerably cooler than average for September, or so I am told as a newcomer to the region. I am not complaining as these are golden days of bright blue skies with warm, dry days and cool nights that permit us to open the windows to the bedroom. You can breath deeply and fully in this weather and fall asleep with full release.
My problem has become that I don't stay asleep but wake at 3:30 a.m. with my mind on full throttle. I tell myself to stay calm and carry on which I eventually do. These are challenging times, when gratitude for our current good fortune is front and center just as concern for neighbors near and far plagues the heart. In the kitchen, the tide is turning. The weather and fall harvest begin to change what I prepare. I am focusing on healthy, comfort food to nourish the body and soul.
To accompany the Red Berry Kissel in my last post, I made Rice Pudding in the Oven from Mark Bittman's Book, How to Cook Everything. Two aspects of this recipe are selling points in my mind. First, it is hands off. Second, it is flexible and open to numerous variations. I recommend you find your favorite, find calm, and eat on. If nothing else, rice pudding is a great place to start.
Rice Pudding in the Oven
- 1/3 cup any white rice
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 4 cups milk
1.
Heat
the oven to 300°F. Combine the rice, sugar, salt, and milk in a large gratin
dish that holds at least 6 cups. Stir a couple of times and put it in the oven,
uncovered. Bake for 30 minutes, then stir. Bake for 30 minutes longer, then
stir again; at this point the rice might be swelling up and the milk should
begin to develop a bubbly skin (if so, stir it back into the mixture).
2.
Cook
until the rice plumps and starts to become a more noticeable part of the
mixture and the skin becomes more visible and darker, about 30 minutes more.
Now the pudding is getting close to done, so check on it every 10 minutes,
stirring each time (it should reach the right texture in 10 to 30 minutes,
depending on the kind of rice you used).
3.
The
pudding will be done before you think it’s done. The rice should be really
swollen and the milk thickened considerably but still pretty fluid (it will
thicken more as it cools). Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Tips:
You’ve
got to use white rice in this recipe, but you have some choices: Long-grain
aromatic rice (like basmati or jasmine) will deliver the most delicate texture
and fragrance. Short- or medium-grain white rice (like Arborio) will be more
thick and chewy. Supermarket long-grain rices will be somewhere in between.
Variations: 5 Ways to Change
the Flavor
1.
Substitute
coconut, soy, rice, or nut milk for the milk.
2.
Stir
in a piece or two of whole spice (cinnamon sticks, cloves, or nutmeg) at the
beginning of cooking.
3.
Stir
in a teaspoon of grated citrus zest at the beginning of cooking.
4.
Add
1 teaspoon vanilla extract after cooking.
5.
Add
up to 1/2 cup chopped toasted nuts right before serving.
