‘I’ve always gained a great deal of pleasure out of cooking — it’s one of the most exquisite ways to look after yourself, to stay grounded, to keep yourself company and be reminded that we are all far more capable than we know. And I’ve needed this more than ever of late.’ 

Nici Wickes has written a number of books, spending six years as a food editor for Viva and NZ Herald, and five creating and testing recipes for New Zealand Woman’s Weekly, and contributing her craft to various other media. 

Over the last few years, she’s been through a lot, the pandemic, floods, cyclones, and a bout of covid saw her losing her appetite not only for her beloved craft, but also the search for life’s joys. 

‘More From a Quiet Kitchen’ is a celebration of her return to her joy, crammed with heart-warming dishes such as ‘chowder for comfort’, ‘corn and bacon risotto’, and delicious desserts such as ‘lemon cheesecakey cake’. 

To celebrate the book’s release, Nici’s recipe of the week is ‘Parisian rice pudding with salted caramel sauce’, a taste of what this new cookbook has to offer. 

Parisian rice pudding with salted caramel sauce 

Good old rice pudding – elevated to exceptional heights!  

Ingredients 

1 ½ cups whole milk  

⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon risotto rice  

2 tablespoons sugar  

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)  

¼ cup cream, whipped  

Salted caramel sauce  

½ cup caster sugar  

2 tablespoons water  

1 tablespoon butter  

100ml cream  

½ teaspoon sea salt or more to taste

Method 

Bring milk, rice, sugar, vanilla bean and seeds to a slow simmer in a pot. Simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring every time you think of it, until it thickens and the rice is creamy and cooked. Set aside to cool.  

While the rice cooks make the caramel. In a small pot, heat the sugar and water over a medium heat, swirling the pot if needed but not stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until it has turned a lovely dark golden colour. Remove from the heat, whisk in the butter, cream and salt (it will spit and froth, but don’t worry). Whisk until you have a smooth sauce.   

To serve, fold whipped cream through the cooled rice pudding. Drizzle with sauce and sprinkle over hazelnuts. And dream of being in Paris!  

Note: The sauce stores well in the fridge, needing just a little heat to bring it back to drizzling consistency. 

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