• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 200 g(7 oz) short-grain rice
• 1.25 litres(44 fl oz/5 cups) milk
• 250 ml(9 fl oz/1 cup) single (pouring) cream
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• ½ vanilla bean, split in half
• freshly grated nutmeg
• 50 g(1¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar, plus a little extra for the pistachios
• 60 g(2¼ oz) pistachios, skins removed
• soft dark brown sugar, for sprinkling
• 3 peaches, pitted and halved
• 6 small blobs of butter

Preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan, add the rice and stir gently to warm it. Add the milk, cream, lemon zest, vanilla bean and nutmeg and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer steadily for about 10 minutes, stirring quite often to make sure it doesn’t stick. Add the caster sugar and simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring as before. Meanwhile, toss the pistachios with a dash of the brown sugar in a small tray and roast in the oven until they are just crisp in places.

Put the peaches in a baking dish, cut side up. Scatter about ½ tablespoon of brown sugar over each peach half and top with a small blob of butter. Roast without turning until the tops are golden brown and the peaches are still in shape but with some juices bubbling.

Just as the rice is tender and creamy, but with quite a bit of milky liquid left, remove it from the heat and dish up into flat bowls. Serve with one or two peach halves with a little juice drizzled here and there and a small pile of sugared pistachios. This is good warm or cold.