Rice Is Not Just For Throwing At Weddings

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I used to swoon when my mother made her rice pudding.  It was creamy, warm, with hints of lemon peel and cinnamon.  She never put raisins in it.  Then her sister, my aunt Lydia made her rice pudding and I never looked back.  Sorry Mom, hers beat yours out by a knockout punch.  The difference between my mother's rice pudding and my aunt's is that my mother only used whole milk.  My aunt used whole milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and a generous pat of butter at the end.  Aunt Lydia's secret was that she cooked the rice in the milk instead of water.  Wow!  The difference was incredible.  It was twice as rich, twice as creamy and delicious.  Que rico!  To those health nuts out there I say, "If you are going to make this recipe with skim milk and butter substitute, FORGET ABOUT IT."  You don't eat rice pudding every day so do this recipe justice and make it as it should be made.  Waddle in the calories.

Lydia's Arroz Con Leche


1 qt of whole milk
1 can of sweetened, condensed milk
1 large can of evaporated milk
2 cups of short grain rice
1 lemon peel
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup sugar
1tsp. vanilla extract or a vanilla bean
a pinch of salt
1/2 a stick of unsalted butter

Start be cleaning your rice of any grit and thoroughly rinsing it.  Place the rice in a heavy 5-6 quart dutch oven.  Add the whole milk, lemon peel, cinnamon stick and salt.  Cook the rice until it reaches a boil and then turn down the heat to a low simmer.  Stir constantly.  Because you are cooking the rice with milk instead of water, the milk will tend to rise and attempt to boil over, constant stirring will prevent this. When the rice has started to absorb the liquid add the evaporated milk and the condensed milk.  Taste the mixture for sweetness and add as much sugar as you need up to a cup.  Stir constantly.  Add the vanilla or split and scraped vanilla bean.  If you find that the pudding starts to absorb too much liquid, add more whole milk.  When the pudding has reached a velvety consistency, take it off the heat.  As a finishing flourish add the butter and stir.  Ideally, this rice pudding is served best when warm with a dash of powdered cinnamon or some whipped cream.