Baked Rice Pudding

When I worked as a dietitian in a local nursing home years ago, the most popular supper meal consisted of rice pudding just like this.  The kitchen manager said that every new dietitian was horrified to see ‘dessert’ as the main dish – but they discounted the eggs, milk and fruit – as well as the fact that it was easy to digest and chew.  The patients liked this light meal, so we just added some vegetable juice or salad to round out the meal.  In their youth, during the depression, many of these folks’ mothers served meals of rice pudding or “milk soup” or cooked cereal with milk for an inexpensive supper.

The lemon sauce is delicious and easy.  I would serve it over plain cake or gingerbread as well.  I added a drop of yellow food color. 

When I made this lovely baked custard last time, I thought the rice was too skimpy, so I have increased it from the original recipe.  If you like “cooked rice  custard” instead of baked custard, see Myrna’s recipe HERE                 

                Baked Rice Pudding with Clear Lemon Sauce

  1        cup  milk -- scalded **

     1/4  cup  white rice -- long grain

     1/4  cup  golden raisins

  2        medium eggs

  1        cup  half and half

     1/4  cup  sugar

  1        teaspoon  vanilla extract

            speck  salt

            grated nutmeg

                        Lemon Sauce

     1/2  cup  sugar

  1        tablespoon  cornstarch

            speck  salt

  1        cup  boiling water

  2        tablespoons  butter

  1        tablespoon  lemon juice

  2        teaspoons  lemon zest

     1/4  teaspoon  grated nutmeg

In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine scalded milk and rice and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and cook, covered, over low heat about 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Stir occasionally, and be sure not to let the mixture boil.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Transfer rice to an oiled 1 1/2 quart souffle dish and sprinkle the raisins over the top.  In a medium bowl, beat the eggs well. Add the half and half, sugar, vanilla and salt and blend.  Pour over the rice and fruit.  Drift some nutmeg over the top. 

Bake in a shallow pan of hot water for 1 hour.  (If using a 9 x 9" pan, use about 2 cups hot water).

FOR SAUCE, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan.  Gradually stir in the boiling water.  Bring to a boil over high heat and boil, uncovered, for 3 minutes.  Add the butter, lemon rind and juice and nutmeg, cook 2 minutes longer.  Serve warm over rice pudding.  Yields 1 cups of sauce.

** TO SCALD MILK:  Heat it, bringing it just below the boiling point without actually boiling it.  As soon as you start seeing milk bubbles forming around the inside edges of the pot, it forms a skin on top (if you stir it, you won't see the skin), as well as some steam rising, remove it from the heat; it is now scalded

6 Dessert servings              Cost 2011:  $1.84 or 31¢ per serving

Per Serving: 284 Calories; 11g Fat (34.8% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 84mg Cholesterol; 96mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

  "Cooking from Quilt Country p185"