Risotto With Milk

Preparation

1. Step 1

   In a medium pot, combine milk and vanilla bean. Using a vegetable peeler, remove half the lemon peel in strips; add to pot. (Reserve the half-peeled lemon.) Heat liquid over medium heat until steaming but not yet simmering. Remove from heat, cover pot and let stand 1 hour. Uncover pot and rewarm liquid over low heat.

2. Step 2

   While milk steeps, heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until dry and golden, 10 to 25 minutes depending on how dry it was to start with and how thick the slices are. Use a rolling pin to break the bread into large, irregular crumbs, with some the size of peas and the rest finer (you want texture).

3. Step 3

   In a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast rice until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in oil.

4. Step 4

   Stir in several ladles of warm milk (leave behind the vanilla beans and zest). Cook, stirring frequently, until rice has soaked up most of the liquid. Continue cooking, adding a few ladles at a time, until rice is al dente, 18 to 22 minutes. If rice mixture is too thick, or if you have used up all the milk before the rice softens, stir in hot water until the texture is pleasing to you. Stir in sugar and mascarpone. Finely zest the rest of the lemon, grating directly into the pot.

5. Step 5

   Spoon into bowls and top with bread crumbs. Drizzle a little coffee over the top if you like, sprinkle with salt and serve.