Comfort food, anyone? There's nothing more consoling than a big bowl of creamy rice pudding. You had me at "butterscotch"...

Butterscotch rice pudding brulee with brown butter bananas
serves 4-6

75g butter
150g short-grain rice (eg. arborio)
80g brown sugar
500ml thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
750-900ml milk
caster sugar for brulee

for brown butter bananas
4 small firm bananas, sliced in half lengthways
30g butter
60ml dark rum
juice from half a lemon

Melt the butter in a medium-sized heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring often, until the rice is toasted and the butter is nut brown. Add the brown sugar and cook until dissolved. Add the cream and cook until the cream has reduced into a butterscotch sauce. Add the vanilla and 250ml milk and simmer until the milk has absorbed. Continue stirring and adding milk as it is absorbed, similar to making a risotto, until the rice is tender and creamy.

Set aside while cooking the bananas. Melt the butter in a large frypan over medium heat. Place the bananas cut side down in the pan and cook until golden. Turn bananas over, cook for a minute, then pour over the rum. Using a match or lighter, carefully light the rum to burn off the alcohol, and add the lemon juice. Pour the rice pudding into a shallow dish and sprinkle with a fine layer of caster sugar. Caramelise the sugar with a blow torch or place under a grill, until golden. Allow the sugar to harden before serving with the bananas placed on top.

This recipe first appeared in the July 2020 issue of SALIFE magazine.