Wild rice took a hit in 2024, but it's the perfect ingredient for this grown-up rice pudding

January can be a cold and dreary time of the year, and so we reach for things that give us comfort. For those of us who find the kitchen a sanctuary, having the oven on for a good chunk of a Sunday afternoon is a source of pleasure and when I really want to push the boat out, I'll make one of my favourite cozy desserts — rice pudding. 

I know you're probably thinking rice pudding isn't special. But, dear reader, this recipe for rice pudding is something else. It's decadent and delicious, incredibly comforting and terribly creamy. Plus, the inclusion of wild rice in the ingredient list gives a nod to our local food culture. 

Wild rice has a delicious, nutty flavour and high nutritional value. It is North America's only native cereal crop. It's a grass plant that originated in the Great Lakes region, but the shallow lakes and slow-moving rivers that formed on ancient rocks of the Precambrian shield make for an ideal habitat to grow wild rice in Saskatchewan. 

Harvesters dealt with a devastating hit to their wild rice supplies last fall, with rice worm pests eating certain areas.

"Last year was one of those rough patches where nothing seemed to go right," said Dawson Cameron, a grower with Wild Rice Guys, which harvests Saskatchewan wild rice and turns it into snack products. 

Pests attacked certain areas of wild rice, while other areas encountered different struggles such as sun damage and low water levels, he said. 

All of these factors made for a tough year in wild rice production, and it will likely drive the price up. Still, Cameron is optimistic about the future for wild rice, saying he and others in this field are not out to get rich, but are driven by a passion working with nature, even with its unpredictability.

Wild rice was introduced to Saskatchewan in the 1930s as a food source for muskrats and waterfowl thereby enhancing hunting and trapping opportunities. The commercial side of the industry took off in the 1970s and now, according to a University of Saskatchewan publication, northern Saskatchewan entrepreneurs who've invested time and resources are responsible for the flourishing international trade in the province's wild rice.

Modern wild rice harvesters have wide flat-bottomed aluminum hulls fitted with collecting trays. As the harvester moves through the rice stands, rice grains come into contact with an angled screen on the header and fall into the tray. After several passes, the harvester dumps the contents of the tray into a boat. The wild rice is then packed into bags which are later transported to a processing plant in La Ronge. Before modern propeller-driven harvesters were introduced, people would harvest wild rice using canoes. One person would sit in the front and paddle, while the second person bent stalks over the boat's side with a short, tapered stick and used another stick to tap off the rice.

This is a crop that requires minimal inputs and much of the wild rice grown in Saskatchewan is certified organic. Because of its wonderful chewy texture, it's an excellent addition to soups, salads, and yes, rice pudding. If you're looking to incorporate more wild rice into your diet, you can purchase it at local farmers markets, and Saskatchewan-focused stores such as SaskMade Marketplace.  

Bulk Barn is also a good resource, as you can buy smaller quantities for particular recipes.

If you ever think rice pudding is boring, I'm here to tell you otherwise. This is a grown-up, fancy-pants rice pudding. Nothing like the stuff served in hospitals or church basements. It uses short grain arborio rice and wild rice, and is baked in the oven with cream, milk, sugar, orange peel and cinnamon sticks. Whipping cream makes this pudding quite luxurious, and if that wasn't enough, the caramelized brown sugar crust really is the perfect finishing touch. Scented with citrus and spice, this is a dessert worthy of any dinner party. It is best served warm and goes ever so well with a cup of your favourite tea.

Ingredients:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the rack in the centre of the oven. Butter a 10-inch square (or round) ceramic baking dish.