Wash thoroughly and drain a pound of Carolina rice, and put it in a stewpan with nearly three pints of water, two ounces of butter, and a little salt; put the lid on, and set the rice to simmer very slowly on a smothered fire for about an hour and a half; by which time, if properly attended to, the rice will have absorbed the whole of the moisture, and will have become perfectly soft when a grain is pressed between the finger and thumb;
Border of Rice a la Reine
The rice must now be handled with the back part of the bowl of a large wooden spoon, and by this means worked into a smooth compact paste; and after dipping your washed hands in cold water, it is to be rolled in a ball, gently pressed on a buttered baking-sheet, and finally shaped, by using a thick chisel-shaped wedge or tool (made with raw carrot), often dipped in water to prevent its sticking in the rice; the border, when finished, should resemble the woodcut.
About an hour before dinner-time the border of rice should be baked in a brisk oven, of a light-golden colour. When done, and when the rice from its centre is removed neatly and smoothly, it may be filled either with puree or mince of fowl or of game, and finished by placing a border of soft-boiled eggs, or plovers' eggs, round the edge, and a small decorated fillet in between each egg, as represented in the woodcut. Pour a little white sauce over the puree, and round the base, and serve.