Writings: Katira al-Maghrebiyya (aka Kay the Innocent of Bel Anjou)

Copper Spoon
Rice as Side Dish or Dessert
Cynagua Coronet A.S. XXXIII
Entrant: Kay the Innocent of BelAnjou
Recipe: Rice Pudding

Documentation

Source: Markham, Gervase. The English Hous-wife. 1615.
As shown in To the Queen's Taste, edited by Lorna J. Sass:

Rice Puddings Take halfe a pound of Rice, and steep it in new Milk a whole night, and in the morning drain it. and let the Milk drop away, and take a quart of the best, sweetest, and thickest Cream, and put the Rice into it, and boyl it a little. then set it to cool an hour or two, and after put in the yolkes of half a dozen eggs, a little Pepper, Cloves, Mace, Currants, Dates, Sugar, and Salt, and having mixt them well together, put in great store of Beef suet well beaten, and small shred, and so put it into the farms, and boyl them as before shewed, and serve them after a day old.

Using this translation and Lorna's redaction as a starting point, I created the following version. I was very happy to see Lorna's suggestion of butter for suet and gratefully used it.
One of my usual trial run tasters and I much preferred the pudding warm and the other ate it all before it could get cold. Therefore I have prepared my entry on site and present it to you at its best.
Recipe

2/3 C basmati rice (imported as rice was in period)
1/4 tsp ground mace
3 C whole milk
1/2 C currants
1 C heavy whipping cream
1/2 C pitted, minced dates
3 egg yolks1/2 C sugar
generous 1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
4 Tbl butter

Put rice and milk in a pot, bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking to bottom of pot. Add the cream and reheat to a simmer. Stir in remaining ingredients (already mixed together in a bowl). Mix well and stir until thickened, 5-10 minutes. Can be served warm or cold.

Last updated 01/03/2007