Christmas Swedish Porridge - (Julgrot)

Christmas rice porridge (Julgrot) is a part of a traditional Swedish Christmas Eve supper. According to an old Swedish tradition and practiced in many homes in America, each person must compose and recite a rhyme before touching the porridge and the one who gets the almond hidden in the porridge will marry during the coming year.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 quarts water
1 cup rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 cups milk
1 blanched whole almond
Ground cinnamon for sprinkling
Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Grated almonds for sprinkling
Cold milk for accompaniment

Cooking Directions:

1. In large saucepan bring water to boil; add rice bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Drain rice thoroughly. Place rice, butter, salt and sugar with milk in top of double boiler. Cover and cook over low-simmering water until rice is tender and milk is absorbed, about 2 hours.
2. Pour into serving dish and stir in almond. Sprinkle top generously with cinnamon, sugar and grated almonds. Serve with cold milk.

Makes 8 servings.