Arroz Doce
“Arroz Doce” is a portuguese rice pudding. In Portugal, it is traditional to sprinkle the cinnamon through a lacy paper doily to form a pattern on the rice.
Ingredients:
• 5/8 pint milk
• 2 inch piece of vanilla pod
• 2 inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 6 pieces lemon rind, each about 1 ½ inches long and ½ inch wide
• 1/8 tsp. plus ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 ½ pints water
• 6 ½ – 7 oz. raw medium, long or short grain rice
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 ½ oz. sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Method:
1. Bring the milk, vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, pieces of lemon rind and 1/8 tsp. of the salt to the boil over a moderate heat in a small saucepan. Cover the pan tightly, remove it from the heat and let the seasonings steep for 20 – 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring 2 ½ pints of water to the boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Pour in the rice in a slow stream, stirring constantly, so that the water continues to boil.
3. Add the remaining salt, reduce the heat to moderate, and boil the rice uncovered for about 15 – 20 minutes until tender. Drain the rice in a colander, turning it about with a fork to separate the grains, then spread it out on a double thickness of kitchen paper.
4. Beat the egg yolks and sugar together with a whisk or rotary beater in a large bowl until light and lemon coloured. Pour in the milk in a thin stream, beating constantly. Then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a fork.
5. Pour the pudding into a baking dish about 12 by 8 inches and no more than ½ inch deep. Cool to room temperature and just before serving, sprinkle the top lightly with cinnamon.
(serves 4- 6)
