Here’s Jackson Boxer’s Droolworthy Riz Au Lait Recipe

Jackson Boxer is the chef talent behind Henri, the hot Parisian eaterie in Covent Garden that opened in June. He shares with us his food philosophy, favourite snacks and his droolworthy Riz au Lait recipe (straight off the menu).

Jackson Boxer’s Riz Au Lait Recipe

Ingredients:

● 25g butter

● 165g pudding rice

● 750ml milk

● 750ml cream

● 135g caster sugar

● pinch of salt

● 1 vanilla pod

● 4 cardamom pods, seeds only

Method For Jackson Boxer’s Riz Au Lait:

1. Melt butter slowly in a casserole dish over a low heat, when the milk solids separate from fat, continue to cook gently until butter turns a golden brown – this is noisette stage.
2. Add the rice and toast in the butter. Add milk, cream, sugar and salt. Scrape the vanilla, add the seeds and pod. Add the cardamom seeds.
3. Bring rice to a simmer, then turn the heat down and cook for 20 mins, stirring frequently.
4. Cover with a circular piece of baking paper (cartouche) and bake for 1.5 hours at 110 degrees, stirring every 15 mins.
5. Allow to cool in the casserole, then transfer to a serving dish. Serve with seasonal fruits.

For Dessert: The Chef Q&A

What’s your food philosophy?

Food has a marvellous capacity to defy language; indeed there is nothing to be said about food that can’t be more eloquently expressed by cooking it, feeding it, and eating it.

What was the first dish you learnt to cook?

I remember, very young, being taught how to fry eggs in butter over a fire. A useful lesson in the control of heat, use of fat, and the importance of seasoning!

What’s your favourite in season ingredient and why?

Fruit. Any fruit. Whatever is good [seasonally] at this precise moment is all I want to eat.

Your go-to throw-it-together dinner?

I’m a big fan of coarse soup  – throw in whatever vegetables are good right now with some pulses, rich chicken broth, and then simmer together before finishing with lots of black pepper and olive oil.

What’s in your fridge right now?

Hook & Son’s raw milk, Neal’s Yard yoghurt, french butter, a few jars of my mum’s jam, oxford marmalade, a vast array of different condiments, hot sauces, sambals and chilli pastes to which I’m shamefully addicted, and a large hunk of parmesan.

What restaurant should everyone try before they die?

Their local one – it always staggers me how few people engage meaningfully with what’s on their doorstep.

What cookbook do you refer to the most?

My grandmother Arabella recently turned 90, and I still go back to her books with greater frequency than any others. Most notably her Book of English Food, which I adore.

What’s your favourite comfort snack?

Crisps, preferably good ones fried in olive oil and sea salt, but honestly, any crisps will happily do.

What’s one cool way of using up leftovers you’d recommend to our readers?

Fry them in lots of butter, but don’t neglect to refresh with a good dash of acidity and generous re-seasoning with salt and pepper.

Book a table now at henricoventgarden.com