The Parve Baker

Brown Rice and Date Kugel

4½ cups water
1½ teaspoons salt
2 cups brown rice
½ cup parve margarine
7 extra large eggs
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed cup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup chopped pitted dates
ground cinnamon

Bring the water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the brown rice. Cover and simmer fo 50 minutes. Stir the parve margarine into the cooked rice while it is still hot.

While the rice cooks, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Beat the eggs with the sugars until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Add the vanilla, then the cooked brown rice, and finally the chopped dates. Mix to combine.

Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Place the pan on the center oven rack and bake for 50 minutes or until the center of the kugel is set.  Remove the pan from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 12-18 servings.

This kugel keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. It can be made with 7½ cups of leftover brown rice. Bring the rice to room temperature. Melt the margarine and stir it into the rice before adding it to the other ingredients. Adapted from Gil Marks’ award-winning Olive Trees and Honey (Wiley).