Crock Pot Rice Pudding

I set this up the night before, so we can eat it warm in the morning for breakfast. You can use any rice you have, but I use sushi rice because it creates the best texture (actually, vialone nano, carnaroli or arborio would make amazing rice pudding, but until we can grow them, I save them for risotto - sushi rice works well for risotto as well and it is much less expensive).

I use fresh, raw, whole milk, the cream from the top of a new bottle of milk, organic, evaporated cane juice, farm fresh eggs, good, fresh cinnamon (Vietnamese cassia actually, I use true Ceylon cinnamon in things like fruit pies) and homemade vanilla extract from good vanilla beans and vodka (or bourbon). You don't have to do so, but it is so good this way.

1 cup sushi rice
8 cups milk
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups fruit (either fresh, diced or dried or a mix) - optional

Put rice and milk in crock and cook, covered, on low for 6-8 hours. When rice is tender, but still has a bite continue with the rest of the recipe.

Whisk together sugar, eggs, cream, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Temper the eggs by scooping about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture into it and stirring to combine, continue to do so, 1/2 cup at a time, until about half of the rice mixture has been incorporated into the egg mixture. Carefully pour this back into the crock and stir to combine. Add any fruit at this time as well. Cover and cook on high for 30-60 minutes. You don't want it to dry out, so check.

As I said, I usually set this up the night before and do the additions in the morning before the children are ready for morning prayer. This way, it is ready as soon as we are finished with our prayers and have the table set.

If you want to serve it chilled, just scoop it into pretty bowls and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours.

note: You can use coconut milk instead of milk, if you like. I use half dried coconut and half dried fruit for that. Also a friend said that she made this successfully with half the sugar. I tried it and it was fine that way, warm. If you plan on chilling it, I'd still use the whole amount of sugar.

Sah'awiq (Green Hot Sauce)

6 cloves garlic, peeled
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 - 3 serrano type peppers, stemmed
1 large bunch cilantro (stems, too, just trim the ends a bit)
juice of two lemons
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put garlic, salt, peppers, and cilantro into your blender or food processor. Whir it up in the blender, pulsing at first to grind up the garlic, salt and peppers. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and process until it is a smooth, wet, paste. You want it to be drizzly, not juice. It will thicken a little in the fridge.

Duqqus (Saudi Variation)

Double serrano peppers, add 2 large tomatoes, cored and quartered, to your blender or food processor at the same time as adding half the lemon juice and olive oil. You may need to increase the salt.

Barbecue Beans

1 pound pinquito or pinto type beans, rinsed and picked over
1/2 pound bacon, roughly chopped - buy the bacon ends for cooking, they are cheaper and meatier
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with the side of your knife
1 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 cup chile sauce (fresh or canned - like red enchilada sauce, not tomato based)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/4-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder (whatever you can handle)
salt to taste

Soak the beans for 2-4 hours. Drain water and put in a pot with water to cover (just). Cook, covered, in an oven safe pot in the oven at 325 degrees F for about 2-3 hours, until beans are cooked.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered and bacon starts to brown. Add onions and smashed garlic and cook until onions are soft and slightly browned on the edges. Add mixture to beans in pot, along with tomatoes, chile sauce, tomato sauce, mustard powder, dark brown sugar and chipotle powder. Taste for seasoning and add salt to taste.

Cook for another hour or two uncovered at 375 to reduce the sauce, thicken the beans and allow the flavors to meld.

Serve.

Labels: Homemaking, Recipes, Tales from the Kitchen