Arroz con Leche (Spanish-Style Rice Pudding)

Another great Spanish recipe, from A Spanish Family Cookbook:

Most households have their own special recipe for rice pudding, but in most cases in Spain the pudding is cooked in a saucepan on top of the stove rather than in the oven, and incorporates a beaten egg yolk to give a rich and creamy result. This is one of our favorite recipes for arroz con leche.

Serves 4.

generous ¼ cup short-grain rice
¼ cup sugar (or more, to taste)
rind of 1 lemon--cut into long strips
3 cups milk
2 teaspoons butter
1 egg yolk--beaten
3 cups water
ground cinnamon to decorate

Mix the beaten egg yolk with 2 tablespoons of cold milk and set aside.

Put the rice in a saucepan with the water. When it starts to boil, lower heat and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a sieve and drain off water. Put the remaining milk and lemon rind into the saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and add the drained rice to the milk. Mix well and allow to cook gently until the milk is almost absorbed and the rice is soft. Discard the lemon rind. Then stir in the sugar, butter and beaten egg yolk and mix well. Cook gently stirring occasionally, until the sugar, milk and egg yolk have been absorbed and the pudding is rich and creamy. Transfer to serving dish and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Champiñones al Jerez (Mushrooms in Sherry Sauce)

This week Hippocrene brings the taste of Spain to the dinner table, with recipes from the A Spanish Family Cookbook: Favorite Family Recipes (Revised Edition), by Juan & Susan Serrano.

We are fortunate enough to have access to good quality fino from the family's old sherry bodega, so this is a dish which appears regularly on our table, both as a starter or a tapa (appetizer).

Serves 4-6 as a tapa

4 cups (about 1 lb) button mushrooms
¼ cup fino (bone dry) sherry
1 clove garlic--chopped
1 small onion--chopped finely
pinch cumin
1 tablespoon chopped sweet basil
¼ cup oil
seasoning to taste

Wash the mushrooms well (or peel, if preferred) and dry on paper towel.

Put the oil in a large frying pan and saute the garlic and onions until soft. Add the mushrooms, basil, cumin and seasoning, stir well and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Pour in the fino (dry sherry), cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes (add a little water, if necessary). Serve immediately.