Milchreis with Plum Compote

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Every Swiss kid grows up on Milchreis, and everyone argues about the right way to make it. I stopped looking for the right way and treated it like risotto: same method, same patience, just sweet.

• Serves 4
• 40 minutes

Risotto, but sweet

Two pots: one for the rice, one for the warm milk. Toast the rice in butter, then add the milk ladle by ladle as soon as it starts to stick. After about 20 minutes you decide the texture. A bit more milk for a looser version, which is how I like it, or let it sit for 10 minutes if you want it thick.

The recipe

Ingredients

• Milchreis

• 250 g risotto rice
• About 1 litre whole milk
• 30 g butter, plus a knob to finish
• 2 tbsp sugar or xylitol
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1 cinnamon stick
• A pinch of salt

• Plum compote

• 500 g plums, fresh or frozen
• 2 tbsp sugar or xylitol
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 glass of water

How to make it

1. Compote first, so it has time to cool: pit the plums and simmer them with the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon stick and water over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until they're as soft as you like.
2. Scrape the vanilla pod and keep the seeds aside. Warm the milk in a second pot and keep it warm.
3. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the rice and sugar and toast for about 30 seconds, stirring.
4. Deglaze with a generous splash of milk and add the empty vanilla pod and the cinnamon stick.
5. Add the milk ladle by ladle whenever the rice starts sticking to the bottom, stirring constantly. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender.
6. Remove the vanilla pod and cinnamon stick. Stir in the vanilla seeds and a final knob of butter.
7. Plate on a flat plate, spoon the compote over, drizzle with a little of its syrup and finish with lemon zest and a tiny pinch of salt.

The pinch of salt at the end is not a typo. It makes the whole thing taste sweeter.

No plums? Apples, berries or a spoon of apple sauce work too.