Sootloch con arroz is a Sephardic rice flour pudding. It is light, delicate and wonderfully delicious. I love the fact that it doesn't have eggs or gluten; gives my allergies a break. First tasting sootloch, I find that I keep taking spoonful after spoonful. I can't pin down its simplicity; it's not like anything else. Love it!

I only hear about sootloch a couple of weeks ago. A client emails me a recipe asking that I add sootloch to her brunch menu. Her note suggests that I test the recipe before making a large batch. She also says to be generous with the cinnamon. I review the very simple ingredient list. I know the one ingredient missing is grandmother's love. The challenge for me is to make it like everyone remembers it from fond memories past. I've never even seen it before!

While reviewing the client's recipe I decide that I should check my main reference for all things Sephardic; The Sephardic Bikur Holim Ladies Auxiliary's cookbook. There are two very different recipes in the book, one more similar to the client's. I come up with my version using half and half instead of plain milk. I figure milk in the old country and milk from years ago has nothing to do with what is sold these days. I get to work...brunch is going out the door in two hours!

After the event, Benoit calls to report about the brunch. He tells me, "Oh by the way, [so and so] says that you nailed the sootloch." YES!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rice flour
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 quart half and half
• 1 cup sugar
• cinnamon for the top

Steps:

Stir the rice flour into 1 cup cold water to form a smooth paste. Set aside.

Pour the half and half into a small sauce pan. Scald over medium heat; tiny bubbles will form around the edge and a thin skin will start to form on the top. Tilt the pot when the bubbles form and you'll see the skin. Remove from the heat.

Pour about 1/3rd of the scalded milk into the flour mix. Stir until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot with the remaining milk. Stir until smooth. Put back onto the heat.

Over medium heat, stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a slow boil. I use a heat resistent spatula and continually scrape the sides and bottom of the pot. Once it comes to a boil, keep cooking and stirring for at least 2 minutes. Mixture should be smooth and thick. Remove from heat.

Spoon into cups. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Refrigerate for a few hours or until set. Serve cold. And that is how you make a Kosher Sootloch con Arroz!

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Comments:

Dana: Looks really amazing. As a vanilla fanatic, I think I would either steep a vanilla bean in the half and half or add some vanilla extract.

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Carol: Very similar to the recipe I use. I add no more than 1/4 tsp rose water to a recipe this size. So many versions of this out there, this one looks great

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