Gluten Free Baked Rice Pudding with Apples

Ever since I was a little kid, rice pudding has been one of my favorite desserts. There is definitively a comforting quality about rich and smooth cinnamon scented pudding. Rice grains cooked to perfection in milk or cream, slightly sweetened with honey, and served with dark chocolate shavings on top. I preferred mine warm and used to watch with fascination how the chocolate was slowly melting and oozing into the rice. In the limited culinary world of a six year old, there was only one thing that could top that experience, which was baked rice pudding with layers of apples in between and served with warm vanilla sauce. Over the years I came to realize that this was one of my mom's go-to recipes. It could easily be prepared ahead of time, fruits could be swapped depending on what she had available in her garden, and despite its simple ingredients it made quite an elegant presentation. Separating the eggs and folding in the beaten egg whites makes for an airy souffle like texture.

Those of you with any background in Austrian cooking might recognize this excellent dessert as the humble "Reisauflauf". Culinary Austria has a rich and diverse history when it comes to desserts or "Mehlspeisen" (which literally means food made from flour) as we call it. There's a myriad of recipes out there, from delicious fruit dumplings, souffles, sweet noodle dishes, to baked puddings to name just a few. Vienna, the cultural melting pot during the Austro-Hungarian Empire became the birthplace of dishes that had their origins in Germany, Bohemia, Slovakia, Hungary, Italy, Poland, and other areas of the Balkans. As cooks from every corner of the country moved to the capital city, new and unusual ingredients and cooking methods made their way into the kitchens of Austrian households. Many of the elaborate hot desserts originated as main dishes and were considered poor man's food. Heavier and much simpler versions, lacking the sophistication of beaten egg whites, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar were served. Potatoes, cornmeal, and stale bread often took the place of white flour. Typically, a pot of vegetable soup and a baked sweet dish were prepared on meatless Fridays, but depending on the economic status of the household, maybe several times a week. As costly and refined ingredients, which were previously considered a luxury, became more widely available to the general public, the recipes evolved.

Today, you'll enjoy the delicious "Mehlspeisen" for dessert or with afternoon coffee in the charming coffeehouses of Vienna. My all time favorite is "Cafe Central", which first opened its doors in 1876. It's been called "the home away from home" for the Viennese intellectual establishment during the late 19th century. The regulars included Adolf Loos, Sigmund Freud, Arthur Schnitzler, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky. Still today a popular spot to enjoy "Kaffee mit Schlag" (coffee with whipped cream) and a slice of flaky home-made Apfelstrudel while listening to live piano music, the cafe caters to a variety of guests. You'll find elderly Viennese couples quietly reading the daily newspapers, groups of chatty young students working on their laptops, business people and bankers from the near-by offices, and your share of tourists from all over the world.

As you walk through the streets of the city you'll find coffeehouses on every block. Not all are grand and legendary, but they do offer the same relaxed atmosphere, inviting hospitality, great tasting coffee, and spectacular sweets.

I hope you didn't think I forgot about the rice pudding recipe. Going through my image files was a bit of a sentimental journey for me and I got completely sidetracked. I took those pictures on my last trip to Austria when I was visiting my mom and my sister. Hopefully, you enjoyed the sights of the city and the quick glance into the culinary history of the country.

Anyway, here is the recipe:


Ingredients
1/2  cup and 2 tablespoons short grain rice
pinch of salt
1  3/4 cups whole milk
4 tablespoons butter
1 cinnamon stick
1/8 teaspoon lemon peel, finely grated
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup raisins
2 egg whites
1/4 cup granulated sugar


3 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice


Preparation

Bring rice and salt to a boil with 3 cups of water. Let cook for a bout 2 - 3 minutes and drain.

Return to pot and add cold milk, butter, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove cinnamon stick. Set aside and let cool.

In a bowl combine apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and lemon juice.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

With a mixer at medium speed beat egg yolks, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon rind until light and creamy. Using clean beaters and a different bowl, beat egg whites with 1/4 cup granulated sugar until stiff.

In a large bowl combine cooked rice, egg yolk mixture, and raisins. Gently fold in egg whites.

Spoon 2/3 of the rice mixture into prepared dish and top with apple slices. Cover with remaining rice mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until rice pudding is golden brown and puffy.

Let cool slightly and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve with vanilla sauce.

A Day in San Francisco

I may have told you in one of my previous posts that my daughter Stephanie lives in San Francisco. She was born there, but grew up in Los Angeles. When she decided to move back after finishing college, it didn't come as a big surprise, since she always loved the city by the bay. And who wouldn't? On crisp and clear days the city is picture perfect like a postcard image. Pristine views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands, diverse little neighborhoods, a bustling financial center, and an exciting and revitalized arts district South of Market. Stephanie has always been passionate about food, and her love for cooking clearly shows in every delicious meal she prepares. Hopefully, she'll share some of her recipes with us in future posts.  On Saturday mornings she's a regular at the Ferry Building farmers market. She texted me earlier today and sent this picture of her outing.

Apparently, it was pouring, but for San Franciscans that's no excuse to stay home. The market was as busy as usual. I thought about myself, warm and comfortable, sitting in my cozy chair. As strange as it sounds, but here in Los Angeles people don't leave the house when it starts drizzling. On rainy days we only plan indoor activities. Cooking, baking, eating, blogging . . .  When we do go out in bad weather though, we seem to have forgotten how to drive and traffic turns into an absolute nightmare.  
I'm not quite sure how I got to this point in our conversation, but when I saw the picture of San Francisco, I remembered my last visit and the fantastic meal I had at Zuni Cafe on Market Street. I enjoyed their signature roast chicken with bread salad so much, that I recreated it in my own kitchen. As I started typing and searching for my picture files I came across so much interesting material that I want to share with you. I figured that maybe we won't do the chicken recipe today, but just take a stroll through one of  the most beautiful cities in the world.

Now, that's what a Saturday morning at the Ferry Building looks like on a beautiful day!

Vendors set up their stands loaded with locally grown fruits and vegetables alongside the historic building. Several years ago, the inside of the ferry building was transformed into a culinary marketplace that offers just about anything a food lover's heart could possibly desire. You'll find decadent chocolates (Recchiuti Confections), artisan dairy products (Cowgirl Creamery), exotic mushrooms (Far West Fungi), crusty loaves of bread and other baked goods (Acme Bread Company), micro roasted coffee (Blue Bottle Coffee Co), fresh oysters (Hog Island Oyster Company), organic preserves (Happy Girl Kitchen Company, gourmet cookware (Sur La Table), and so much more. Stop at one of the eateries for a bite, grab a table outside, and enjoy the views of the bay. 

Tofu and Chicken Patty with Hijiki Seaweed from Delica in the Ferry Building.

After spending the morning at the farmers market head out to the Outer Richmond District for lunch. 

You'll have plenty of choices as the streets are lined with Cantonese, Russian, Mexican, and Italian restaurants. A place not to be missed is the Shanghai Dumpling King. It's on Zagat's list of top "Hole-In-The Wall" eateries. Make sure to order the Lion's Head Meatballs, steamed Shanghai dumplings, and scallion pancakes. 

Spend the afternoon strolling through North Beach, San Francisco's Italian neighborhood. Stop at Molinari's Delicatessen on Columbus for fresh Italian sausages, dried cured salami, or Prosciutto. Try their Italian sandwiches, they're some of the best in town. 

Just down the street from Molinari's you'll find the Comstock Saloon. It's a San Francisco institution that has been in this location for more than 100 years. After touring the city all day, rest your tired feet and enjoy a classic Negroni or a Manhattan in a truly historic setting.

Return down to Market Street for dinner at the Zuni Cafe. The beautiful restaurant is warm and inviting, and their service is incredible. You won't regret ordering their wood fire-roasted chicken, but be prepared to wait for an hour. Enjoy the lovely atmosphere, start with appetizers, a bottle of wine from their excellent wine list, or share an entree as a first course until the the famed chicken dish arrives.

 Selection of East and West Coast Oysters

Hog Island Manila Clams 

Creamy Polenta with Parmigiano-Reggiano

End your memorable day in San Francisco with a nightcap at the Clock Bar in the St. Francis Hotel on Union Square.

I hope you enjoyed this post, even though it didn't include any recipes. You'll be seeing more travel tidbits, lots of pictures, and restaurant reviews in the near future.