gelato al riso e vaniglia
for 6–8
ice-cream
4 fresh vanilla pods
400 ml milk
1 litre double cream
9 large, organic free-range egg yolks
175 g caster sugar
risotto
3 fresh vanilla pods
2 litres milk
500 g vialone nano rice
100 g vanilla sugar (see here)
½ nutmeg, freshly grated
grated rind of 2 washed organic lemons
For the ‘risotto’, heat the milk in a large saucepan. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pods, and add to the milk with the pods. Bring to the boil, then add the rice, sugar, nutmeg and lemon rind. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is very soft and the milk absorbed, about 45 minutes. Remove the pods, pour the mixture into a bowl, and cool.
For the vanilla ice-cream, scrape the vanilla seeds out into a mixture of milk and double cream in a thick-bottomed saucepan. Add the pods as well, and gently heat until just below boiling point. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and thick. Add the hot milk and cream mixture to the egg yolks very slowly, stirring. Return to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, over a very low heat until the custard thickens. When just below boiling point, pour into a bowl and cool.
Place half the rice mixture into the food processor and pulse-chop to a coarse purée. Combine this and the remaining rice with the custard. Put in an ice-cream machine and churn until frozen, or freeze in a suitable container in the usual way.