Recipe 17: Rice Pudding

I'm down at our place in Buenos Aires for two weeks with one of my aunts. We invited a good friend (who is also our graphic designer) and his wife over for dinner on Monday night. My aunt wants to make him a traditional Filipino dinner (he loves Asian food); so we're making chicken and pork adobo and pancit -- both of which are probably the most well known of dishes from the Philippines.

Since our kitchen down here is ever so small (and sans oven) we need a no-bake dessert. I thought first about doing a panna cotta with fresh strawberries (since its the beginning of spring down here). But then I recalled Elaine served a rice pudding after her rendition of our Spanish tapas and I was inspired. Creamy rice pudding will be a nice finish to our upcoming meal. I was especially interested in making it down here since the milk and cream here is far better than anything I can find at home -- everything made from the glorious cows in Argentina is simply delicious.

Below is a recipe I found on epicurious.com that received rave reviews (although I'm posting half the milk they called for because of comments related to soupiness). I don't think I've ever finished a rice pudding with egg so I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Plus, there is something quite fall-ish about a creamy rice pudding for dessert. And I will try to make our last recipe which I am delinquent on (the orange-lemon ice cream) and serve it alongside this pudding.

4 cups whole milk
1 cup long-grain white rice (do not rinse)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Bring milk, rice, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt to a boil in a 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until rice is very tender, about 1 hour.

Just before rice mixture finishes cooking, whisk eggs lightly in a bowl. Remove pan from heat and slowly add 1 cup of rice mixture to eggs, whisking constantly. Stir egg mixture into remaining rice mixture in pan, then stir in cream.

Pour pudding into a 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish (3-quart capacity) and sprinkle with cinnamon. Chill pudding, covered, at least 3 hours.