Italian Country Rice Flan / Torta di Risso

This is another of my Italian favorites and also known as Torta di Risso. I have been working on this recipe for some time, I finally feel like it's good enough to share. Good quality Citron is sometimes very hard to find, but King Arthur Flour has it available on their web site. Do not use the candied fruit they sell at the grocery store that is traditionally used for fruit cakes. If you cannot find good quality citron, then just add some extra lemon rind in it's place.

The ratio of rice to milk may seem a little odd, but the finished product produces a rich custard like flan. After simmering at a slow boil for an hour the rice plumps up and most of the milk is absorbed. I keep the heat on medium-low and stir occasionally, scraping the side of the pot. If the rice mixture is not thick enough after cooking for an hour, continue to cook until it becomes thick like rice pudding.(it's more about how it looks rather than how long it takes to get there). I make the pastry by hand, you can use a food processor if you like. The pastry seems a little dry at first, but after all the ingredients are incorporated and while the dough is still in the bowl; I knead it lightly until it comes together into a ball. (I leave the dough in the bowl to knead so I don't have to add additional flour as a result of kneading it on the counter). For the topping, you may use lattice work or lay horizontal pieces of dough like I did (see photo). The recipe calls for an 8" spring-form pan, you could substitute a 9" pan which is a more common size. The only difference if you use a larger pan is it will be a little flatter and will cook for a shorter period of time.



Italian Country Rice Flan / Torta di Risso

Pastry:

2 cups (300 grams) all- purpose flour
200 grams butter (3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg

Filling:

3 3/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup arborio or other short grain rice
4 eggs
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped citron
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
grated zest of 1 lemon
grated zest of one orange
powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon for topping for sprinkling on top if desired

1. Sift flour into a very large bowl, then using a pastry blender, cut in butter evenly. Lightly mix in sugar and egg to make a dough. Shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. In a heavy bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat, bring milk, sugar and butter to a boil. Stir in rice; reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and creamy, (the milk should be almost all the way absorbed, the mixture should be very thick). Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, cream cheese, citron, lemon and orange zest and cinnamon to combine. Gradually stir into rice mixture and allow to cool.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out two thirds of the dough to fit an 8" spring-form pan. Cover the sides and bottom of the pan. Pour rice mixture into pan.

5. with the remaining dough, make a lattice over the rice. Bake 45-50 minutes, covering with foil if starts becoming too brown. Do not unmold until completely set. Sift cinnamon laced powdered sugar on top if desired. Serve at room temperature.

Caribbean Black Bean and Rice Salad

I am not a very big meat eater, if you have browsed the list of recipes here you may have noticed meat is not one of my main ingredients. I am not a vegetarian, but I would rather eat vegetables, fruits, and grains more so than a big steak. I make this dish fairly regularly, specially on the nights I am cooking for myself. I love to eat this over some crisp greens while still warm or chilled as a salad, specially in the summer time.

The color and flavor the Saffron imparts on the rice is wonderful. The longer the beans and peppers marinate in the dressing, the more flavorful they will become. The dish comes together in under 30 minutes.

Caribbean Black Bean and Rice Salad

1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
2 cups water (to cook the rice)
2 pinches saffron threads, about 1/8 teaspoon

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 red or orange bell pepper, diced
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 -1/2 jalapeno pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
1 avocado, sliced for garnish
additional cilantro leaves for garnish

Vinaigrette

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder blend
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

1. In a small sauce-pan over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add saffron and rice, stir well place lid on pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until water has absorbed and rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Or, alternatively cook in a rice maker according to directions.

2. Make the vinaigrette by combining vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl with a whisk until emulsified, set aside. While rice is cooking chop and combine peppers, tomatoes, cilantro, and black beans. Add half of the vinaigrette and toss to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

3. When the rice is cooked, place in a medium bowl and toss with the other half of the vinaigrette while rice is still warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Combine rice and bean mixture and serve garnishing with avocado and additional cilantro.

Creamy Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

I finally feel like my life is getting back to normal after the holidays. Unless I have I catering I don't normally work on Saturdays, I feel my place is at home with my little boy. So today, we did a little shopping in the morning, made dogie treats when we got home and after that I made rice pudding. Jack is not a big fan of rice, I think it stems from my over zealous meals when he was a baby- I gave him cous cous at about 7 months and he projectile spit it all back at me. When he got a little older, he wanted nothing to do with foods that had a grainy type texture. Which is really quite a sad for I feel he misses out on such yummy foods- like this rum raisin rice pudding.

But today he totally surprised me, he was very curious when I was making it and when I finished he actually asked to try it. I tried to retain my composure and not show my shock, he tried it and said "hmmm I think I like it!" Well, needless to say I was thrilled, granted it's more creamy than it is grainy, but it's a start. My point is I think even rice haters would love this dish- it is the epitome of comfort food. Great served warm or ice cold.

Notes: Make sure to not stray too far from it while cooking and stir it often. The vanilla beans are a great addition, but if you don;t have any add a teaspoon of vanilla when you take it off the stove. The rice will continue to congeal and absorb the milk when it's cooling so stop cooking it while there still a little liquid left in the pot. The raisins will do the same so turn the heat off when almost all the rum has been absorbed. I like to use jumbo golden raisins, but if those are not available, use your favorite variety.

I entered this dish in the Comfort Food Monthly Mingle...check out the other posts!

Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

1 cup Arborio rice
3 cups milk
4 sticks cinnamon
1 can condensed milk
1 vanilla bean
3/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup water
1 cup jumbo golden raisins

1. In a heavy medium sauce pan bring milk and cinnamon sticks to a boil over medium heat. Add rice, return to a boil then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. While rice is cooking place the rum, 1/4 cup water and raisins in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to simmer and cook until almost all the liquid is absorbed, (you want some left over to mix into the rice when it's finished). Set aside to cool.


3. Add condensed milk and scrape vanilla bean into the rice. Continue to cook over low heat stirring often for an additional 15 minutes or so or until rice is creamy, but still has some liquid left in the pot. Refer to photo below, it will still seem rather soupy, but in order for it to be very creamy when cool, you remove if from the heat at this stage. The rice pudding will keep for 1 week covered in the refrigerator.