Danish Rice Pudding with Cherry Black Pepper Sauce
Source of Recipe
From "Smitten Kitchen Every Day" by Deb Perelman
Recipe Introduction
"For the last 20 years, I have willfully neglected the great Jewish tradition of Chinese and a movie on Christmas Eve in favor of spending it with my best friend's family. We catch up over cheese and champagne. We decorate the tree. We listen to John Denver and the Muppets. Her mother makes us an incredible meal of soup, salad, red cabbage, roast duck or pork, and potatoes, and then, when we cannot eat another bite of food, she brings out a gigantic bowl of rice pudding, more than we could or should consume, and we more or less finish it, because somewhere in there is a whole almond, and the person who gets it gets a prize. I'm pretty sure I haven't gotten that prize in a decade, but this year is my turn, I just know it. However, I'm not going to tell anyone until the end, because half the fun is tricking others into eating more than they will ever be rewarded for. Thisall of it, from the red cabbage to the whole almond (okay, but maybe not the Muppets)is a Danish Christmas Eve tradition. The Danish way is to boil or bake rice for a very long time in milk, or milk and water, with a vanilla bean, and then fold in an abundance of lightly sweetened whipped cream and chopped almonds, and to finish it with a warm cherry sauce. The result is cool, barely sweet, and fluffy somehowreally, the opposite of American-style rice pudding in every waycontrasted with the warm, stunningly red sauce. Making it in my own apartment feels completely strange. Where's the candlelight? Where's Fozzie? Have I even earned the right to make a recipe so intimately tied to a person, place, and time? But, for once, the easiest part is not changing itwell, everything but the sauce. I find the sparkly kick of black pepper to be wonderful in a cherry sauce, especially against the equally speckly vanilla bean pudding; I couldn't resist. With or without the interloping ingredient, I hope this becomes your holiday tradition, too."
List of Ingredients
Pudding:
◦ 1 cup short-grain white rice, such as Arborio
◦ 3 cups water
◦ 1 cups milk
◦ 1 vanilla bean, split
◦ A pinch of salt
◦ 1 cup chopped almonds, toasted (well chopped but not powdery)
Cherry sauce:
◦ 24 ounces sour cherries (about 5 cups), pitted (frozen are fine)
◦ cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
◦ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
◦ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
◦ A few grinds of black pepper
To finish:
◦ 2 cups heavy cream
◦ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Recipe
Cook the rice: Bring the rice, water, milk, and vanilla bean to a simmer, then cook at a low simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is very tender and the mixture is thick but loose, like a risotto, another 20 to 25 minutes. A spoon dragged across the bottom will clear a brief path in the rice. Remove the vanilla bean pod and save it for another use, such as infusing vanilla sugar. Cool the mixture completely, and press a piece of plastic film against the surface so no skin is formed. Chill it in the fridge for several hoursideally, overnight.
Make the cherry sauce: Place the cherries and sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of the water together until smooth, then pour this into the pan, along with the remaining cup water and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and, stirring frequently, cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes (the sauce should be served hot).
Finish and serve: Shortly before serving the pudding, whip the cream with the sugar to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream, along with the chopped almonds and one whole almond, into the cold rice. It will be stiff at first, but will eventually lighten and become fluffy. Serve in big scoops and ladle with warmed cherry sauce.
Makes 8 servings
❧ Do Ahead:
This pudding is best made over 2 days. On the first, cook the rice in milk and let it fully chill in the fridge. It will keep there for up to 3 days, if needed. Just before serving, whip up and fold in the cream and nuts.
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