Hello again. The garden fruit and veg supply is beginning to mount up. This week I picked some more rhubarb stems and made them into a compote to eat with a creamy rice dessert. At this time of year, I prefer to serve this combo cold, but in Autumn/Winter, the same rice mix makes a comforting winter pudding to serve with any fresh or cooked fruit you like.

It’s a simple enough recipe for the rice mixture, but it takes a little bit of time to cook through, so allow plenty of time to make it. It’s well worth the wait 🙂 I flavour my rice with vanilla but cinnamon or ginger would also work. And, of course, if you’re not vegan, the recipe works just as well with dairy products.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 275g prepared fresh rhubarb
• 50g caster sugar
• 500ml plant-based milk (I use oat milk)
• 100ml plant-based double cream (for a less rich version, replace the cream with extra milk)
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 15g plant-based butter
• 150g risotto (arborio) rice
• 250ml free-from custard

1. Chop the rhubarb into lengths about 4cm long and place in a pan. Add 2tbsp water, sprinkle with 25g sugar and heat until steaming. Cover with a lid and cook gently for 6-8 minutes until tender but still holding shape. Leave to cool.

2. For the risotto, put the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla pod and heat until very hot. Reduce the heat to low and keep the mixture hot.

3. In another saucepan, melt the butter. Add the rice and mix well until coated in the butter. Add a ladleful of the hot creamy milk and stir until thoroughly absorbed.

4. Keep adding the creamy milk, ladle by ladle, stirring in between, until each batch is absorbed, and the rice is just tender – this may take anywhere between 30 to 50 minutes depending on how quickly the rice absorbs the liquid. Don’t be tempted to raise the heat too much as the liquid may evaporate before being absorbed.

5. Once the rice is tender, thick and creamy, transfer to a heatproof bowl and stir in the sugar. Cover with a layer of greaseproof paper to prevent a skin forming and leave to cool completely, then mix in the custard.

6. To assemble, divide the rhubarb between 4 x 225g dessert glasses and spoon the rice mixture on top. Chill until ready to serve.

Let the desserts stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to develop. Decorate with edible flowers if liked.

Thanks for stopping by. That’s me for this week. I hope to see you again soon 🙂