Aunt Fanny's Portuguese Rice Pudding

This recipe is from my Aunt Fanny in Fall River, MA. Wonderful warm or cold. Traditional Portuguese Rice Pudding is flavored with lemon and cinnamon, not vanilla. It is cooked like a risotto.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1⁄3 cup raisins
• 1⁄4 cup port wine
• 1⁄2 cup  round short-grain rice
• 3  cups milk
• 2  cinnamon sticks
• 2  lemons, zest of
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 cup light brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Combine raisins and Port wine in a small bowl and set aside to plump.
2. Wash and drain the rice.
3. Place in large saucepan with plenty of water to cover.
4. Stir, and bring to boil over medium heat.
5. Boil for 5 minutes to blanch the rice.
6. Drain rice in a colander, rinse with warm water, drain again and set aside.
7. While rice is cooking, place 3 cups milk in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add cinnamon sticks, lemon zest, and salt.
8. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
9. Turn off heat and let infuse until rice is ready.
10. Place rice in another medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and ladle in 1 cup warm milk.
11. Stir well with a wooden spoon, then turn on lowest possible heat and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until milk is absorbed.
12. Continue in this manner until you have used all the milk.
13. Remove cinnamon sticks.
14. With the last 1/2 cup milk, stir in the sugar, butter, ground cinnamon, and the plumped raisins.
15. When the last addition of milk is made, turn off heat and evaluate the consistency bearing in mind that it will thicken as it cools.
16. Add 1/4 cup to 1 cup of milk as desired (can be cold milk).
17. TIP: Stir rice frequently but NOT constantly because it will become gummy.