- The recipe in Jane and Michael Stern's occasionally-precious SQUARE
MEALS makes a dead good creamy rice pudding.
1 cup long-grain rice*
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt**
3/4 cup sugar **
3 cups milk**
1/2 cup raisins**
3 egg yolks
1 cup cream, light or heavy, depending on how rich you want pudding
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
nutmeg or cinnamon
1 cup heavy cream
RECIPE ANNOTATIONS FROM ME, after careful experimentation:
*Use arborio rice for best results.
**1/2 t salt
**1/2 C sugar is more than enough
**This dessert, always a favorite in our house, became *even better*
when, after moving to San Francisco, I began making it with the
extra-rich milk available here. To get the same effect, add a
tablespoon or two of cream to regular whole milk. Do not make rice
pudding or bread pudding with skim milk. The flavors come off wrong
and the smoothness doesn't develop properly.
**Raisins are optional. We leave them out, having negotiated the
"Bread pudding-rice pudding truce" years ago, in which bread pudding
has raisins and rice pudding does not. If you do use raisins, use the
yellow ones, for a more harmonious appearance and softer taste.
COOKING DIRECTIONS:
Combine rice, water, and salt in saucepan and simmer 3 minutes. Add
sugar and milk and bring to a slow simmer over low heat, stirring
occasionally.
NOTE: I stir constantly, same as for risotto or custards, to prevent sticking. It doesn't mar the end product at
30 minutes, or until the milk is absorbed.
Cool.
If you are very greedy, you can stop right here. You have an edible,
creamy rice pudding; stir in the cream and heat it a bit longer for best quickie results.
Soak raisins in water until they are plump.
300 deg F. Butter a
1 1/2 quart baking dish.
Whisk egg yolks with cream and vanilla. Combine with cooled rice and mix well. Drain the raisins and mix with rice. Turn into baking dish
and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon. Bake, uncovered, until set at
25 minutes,
oven, do keep an eye on it
).
Gently heat (microwave) 1 cup heavy cream to lukewarm and pour on top.
You can leave the nutmeg off the pudding and stir it into the cream,
with a little vanilla.
Delicious by itself or with fresh fruit such as peaches, juicy ripe
strawberries, apricots.
