Bruno's confit of tomatoes with creamy rice pudding

“Mum and dad's home-grown tomatoes are a summer institution for many lucky Australians.”

Tomato confit

6 large, ripe and firm tomatoes
180g sugar
1/2 cup water
1 vanilla bean
1 strip orange zest (coloured part only)
1 cardamom pod, bruised

Creamy rice pudding

1 litre milk
100g sugar
pinch salt
1 vanilla bean, split
160g short-grain rice
2 cups cream, softly whipped

Chef: Stephanie Alexander Photo: Marina Oliphant Source: The Age Tuesday January 25, 2005 Modern, 45 mins plus, Contemporary, Wheat free, Dessert

puddingThis dessert is served warm. I first tasted the tomato confit at Bistro Bruno in London's Soho. Bruno Loubet and his family are now settled in Brisbane, where Bruno is cooking beautiful food at his restaurant, Bruno's Tables, at Toowong.

Method

For tomato confit

Remove calyx from tomatoes. Cut a cross in the opposite end and plunge into boiling water for a few seconds. Lift out with a wide skimmer and plunge the tomatoes into very cold water. Drain, remove skins, quarter, and cut out the jelly and seeds to leave 4 well-shaped tomato sections from each tomato.

Dissolve the sugar in the water. Add the vanilla bean, orange zest and cardamom pod, and bring slowly to simmering point. Drop in the tomato quarters and keep the syrup just below simmering point for about 15 minutes. Cool for a few minutes in the syrup and then lift the tomatoes out on to a paper-lined rack resting over a plate to catch any drips.

For creamy rice pudding

Bring milk to the boil with sugar, salt and vanilla bean, then tip in rice and stir until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until rice is completely cooked. Allow to cool somewhat. Fold the cream into the rice and serve while still faintly warm.