Rice Pudding

Riz au Lait

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearl rice (short grain)
• 2 cups Darigold whole milk
• 2 cups Darigold whipping cream
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 medium orange
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Darigold butter
• Favorite cookies (optional)

Instructions

Cover the rice with cold water in a saucepan; bring to a boil and then drain in a colander. Pour milk, cream, and blanched rice into a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (such as a castiron Dutch oven). Split vanilla-bean pod in half lengthwise, scraping out the seeds with a paring knife; add pod and seeds to the milk mixture. Grate the outermost rind of the orange (orange part of skin only) and add to milk mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer slowly for 35 minutes, stirring from time to time with a wooden spoon to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Add butter and sugar to the simmering rice and cook 5 additional minutes. Remove vanilla-bean pod and discard; pour pudding into a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours. Serve at room temperature with your favorite cookies. Makes 6 servings.

Note from Chef Jacques Boiroux: For me this is my dessert par excellence! It brings back memories of Sunday family dinners.