This wintertime favorite, a great way to use up the leftover rice in your fridge, gets a surprise lift from lemon zest. For added crunch, sprinkle it with slivered almonds or pistachios before serving.

　　This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, click here.

Ingredients

　　3 cups whole milk

　　1 cup heavy cream

　　4 large eggs, beaten

　　1/2 cup granulated sugar

　　1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

　　1 teaspoon vanilla extract

　　2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)

　　5 whole green cardamom pods

　　1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

　　3 cups cooked medium-grain white rice

　　1 cup golden raisins

Special Equipment

　　In slow cooker, whisk together milk, cream, eggs, granulated and brown sugars, vanilla, zest, cardamom pods, and nutmeg. Stir in rice, cover and cook on high 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, add raisins, and cook 1 hour more, stirring occasionally. Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled.

　　Cook's note:

　　This recipe was originally prepared in an oval, 6-quart slow cooker.