Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding

Created by Executive Chef Dean La Russa
Classic Residence by Hyatt in Palo Alto
Serves 4

• 1/3 cup Arborio rice
• Pinch salt
• 1-1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1-1/4 cups whole milk
• 1 vanilla bean—split lengthwise and scrape seeds into pot
• 1 egg yolk

1. Place rice, milk, cream, salt and vanilla bean in a heavy- bottomed sauce pot.
2. Stir frequently and bring mixture to a boil, then turn down to a simmer immediately.
3. Stir mixture frequently during cooking to prevent scorching. You will need to use appearance and taste to determine when to remove the pudding from the stovetop.
4. Watch for rice to become tender and the liquid to be absorbed. If the pudding is cooked too long, it will become too thick to be served cold. You can thin it with more milk. When you have determined that the mixture is done, immediately remove from the heat and quickly whisk in the egg yolk.
5. Return to the stovetop and cook about 30 seconds to cook the egg.
6. Pudding can be served hot or cold and garnished with fresh berries during the summer.
7. If serving cold, pour the mixture into a casserole dish or shallow pan.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool. Just before serving, check consistency.
9. If too thick, stir in more fresh milk to have a nice creamy pudding.
10. To serve hot, spoon into serving dishes, fill to the top and level the top with a long knife or spatula.
11. Sprinkle with a little sugar and caramelize using a propane torch. (I prefer using a propane torch from a hardware store instead of a crème brûlée torch. The hardware store torch has a hotter, more intense flame for browning the top.)