We had friends over for dinner, and I made a big pot of beef stew.  What better to finish the meal than rice pudding?  Thanks to Simply Recipes for a fine, simple recipe.  Here’s my adaptation:

Rice Pudding
(serves 2, generously)

2 ½ c. milk, half-and-half, or a combination (I used half of each)
1/3 c. uncooked white rice
pinch of salt
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
1 egg
¼ cup sugar
a few drops almond extract

Over medium heat, in a saucepan big enough to hold everything, bring the milk, rice, salt, and cardamom to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the rice is soft, about 20 minutes.

Beat the egg and sugar together, and slowly whisk in about a half-cup of the hot milk from the pot (if you add the egg directly to the pot, you’ll get scrambled eggs). Then add the egg mixture to the saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

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