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Christmas Edition - December 20, 2007

Recipes


Christmas Rice Porridge, Marianna Paavonkallio
Easy Pecan Pie, by Joyce Smith
Hawaiian Dreams, by Marilyn Meeks
Mincemeat Fruit Cake,  by Barb Burley
Pop Corn Balls, by Earla Horton

Christmas Rice Porridge

The most essential aspect in cooking porridges is the way they are simmered. In Finnish stores there are special saucepans and pots available for simmering porridges only. Simmering should be done very slowly, using the lowest heat possible. This yields the best result: a velvety smooth porridge, which is neither too thick nor watery. It should be just pourable in consistency, not stiff or lumpy.

  • 300 ml water
  • 150 ml short grain rice
  • 700 ml whole milk
  • bilberry compote:
  • 400 ml fresh or frozen bilberries (blueberries may be substituted)
  • 200 ml water
  • 100 - 150 ml sugar

Use a saucepan with a very thick bottom to prevent the porridge from burning on the bottom.

Bring water to the boil in the saucepan. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until water is wholly absorbed in it. Add the milk and bring the mixture to the boil again, stirring frequently.

Lower the heat to minimum, cover the pan with lid and simmer for about 40 to 60 minutes, or until the rice and milk have thickened into a soft-textured, velvety smooth porridge. Stir every now and then to prevent the porridge from burning on the bottom or forming a skin on the surface. Season with a little salt, sugar and a pat of butter.

To make the bilberry compote, pour all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring the mixture slowly to the boil, crushing the berries with a spoon or a pounder. Cook the mixture for a few minutes, then strain it through a fine sieve. Store covered in refrigerator.

Serve the rice porridge piping hot, topped with a pat of butter and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon (left), or with cold or warmed bilberry compote (right).

Traditionally at Christmas time one blanched almond is "hidden" in the porridge pot and whoever gets it on his/her plate will "have good fortune".

Note: If eating bilberries for the first time, you should note that they will stain your mouth and teeth blue, though not permanently!

Thanks to Marianna Paavonkallio for sharing information and recipes with us. Visit the Nordic Recipe Archive on her website

http://www.dlc.fi/~marianna/gourmet/xmas_a.htm.

Easy Pecan Pie

by Joyce Smith
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
  • 1 cup pecan halves

Mix sugars and flour together. Add eggs, milk, vanilla and melted butter. Beat. Stir in pecans. Put in unbaked pie shell, Bake at 350º . 35 to 40 minutes

Hawaiian Dreams

by Marilyn Meeks
  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 cup drained crushed pineapple.
  • 1/4 cup melted margarine
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup coconut.

Cream ½ cup butter or margarine, brown sugar,  vanilla. Mix in flour. Press into bottom of an ungreased nine inch square pan.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Let cool five minutes, Spread with pineapple.

Beat together melted margarine, sugar,egg,  vanilla and coconut.

Spread coconut mixture over pineapple, return to oven and bake for 30 min.

Cool in pan and cut in squares. Refrigerate.

Mincemeat Fruit Cake

by Barb Burley
  • 1 jar (18 ounce) mincemeat with rum or brandy
  • 1 cup broken pecans
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in Tbsp. boiling water
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

 
Put mincemeat, pecans, raisins, melted butter and sugar in a bowl and add egg yolks and baking soda dissolved in boiling water. Add flour. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites and vanilla.  Pour in greased adn floured pans. Bake at 300 F for 1 1/2 hours. You may add 8 ounces mixed fruit and cherries.

Pop Corn Balls

by Earla Horton
  • 1 extra large bowl of popped corn
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups butter (no substitutes)
  • 2 cups light corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, butter and corn syrup in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally until mixture turns a caramel colour. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour syrup over popped corn and form into large balls. For Christmas, add nuts and cherries.