Rice Pudding Your Mama Never Made……

Come on, this is comfort food at it’s best. Next to macaroni and cheese, stews, chili and more. It has been ‘upgraded’ , if you will, to becoming spectacular.

• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup spiced rum
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup arborio rice
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1  1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg yolk
• pinch of salt
• whipped cream

Put the raisins in a small bowl and pour the rum over them. Cover and let sit for up to 2 hours. Drain off the liquid. (Secret here: soak the raisins in hot water for about 5 minutes and drain, then add the rum)

Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into a small dish and set aside. Combine the water, rice and bean in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer cooking covered for about 20 minutes (until the liquid has all been absorbed. Uncover, remove and discard the vanilla bean and let cool down.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 cup baking bowl with the butter and set the bowl inside a large roasting pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, brown sugar, eggs, egg yolk, salt and now the reserved vanilla seeds. Add the cooked rice and stir to mix well. Pour into the baking dish. Put the roasting pan on the oven rack and now add boiling water to halfway up the side of the bowl and baking until the pudding is set in the center and is browning around the edges.

Remove from the roasting pan and let cool for about 15-20 minutes. Serve with a generous dollop of sweetened whipped cream. If you want to add insult to injury….pour a glass of ice wine to complement the pudding.

Yippee! What comfort as this is darn good and you did it.