As it’s strawberry season I chose the rice pudding with strawberries stewed in lemongrass and lime from page 230. You can read here about Ina’s cooking experience.
I was a bit sceptical, since first I never used fresh lemongrass and second lemongrass and ginger in rice pudding? I didn’t know, if I would like that. But indeed I liked that! I loved it! Loved it a lot even! It’s one of my favourite recipes out of the book. I was so hooked by the whole dish. It’s very delicious. I can’t emphasize that enough.
The rice pudding is already very good on it’s own. I’ve could have eaten it right out of the pot. The strawberries are also delicious. The lime and the lemongrass are matching perfect here. The ginger only gives hint of its flavour without being sharp or too spicy. It reminded me a bit of our holiday in Thailand, not that we’ve eaten there something similar, it’s just the flavour in general. But that’s a good thing, thinking about holiday while eating a dish, isn’t it.
As I’m praising this dish so much, I can’t let you go without the recipe. Because this will give you the essence of the book. It’s a great book with great recipes, and that’s just one of them. But one of the best ones ;).
What’s really important about this dish is to eat it while it’s warm or lukewarm. You don’t reach the flavour and the texture again, after having it stored in the fridge (which is quite normal, when you’re only 2). Don’t do it. Just eat two bowls or a large one. Trust me, it will be no problem.
One year ago: Blueberry-Lemon-Tart
Two years ago: Strawberry-Melon-Soup
Rice Pudding with Strawberries stewed in Lemongrass and Lime
from La Tartine Gourmande by Béatrice Peltre
yields: 4 servings
Ingredients:
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2 lemongrass stalks
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40 g slivered almonds
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450 g strawberries, hulled and diced
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zest of 1 1/2 organic limes (I used 1)
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juice of 1 organic lime
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75 g blond cane sugar
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2 Tbsp water
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550 ml whole milk
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100 g risotto rice
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2,5 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
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60 ml unsweetened coconut milk
Remove the thicker outer layer of the lemongrass stalks. Slice one stalk into three pieces. Grind the other one with the outer layers, using a coffee or spice grinder (I don’t own one, so I used a food processor).
Toast the slivered almonds in a frying pan, until lightly browned.
Combine 280 g of the strawberries, the zest of one lime, 1 tsp of the ground lemongrass, 2 Tbsp (20 g) of the sugar and the water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, the turn down the heat and let it simmer until the strawberries soften but still keep their shape. That takes only few minutes. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice. Let cool.
Combine the milk with the 3 lemongrass pieces, the ginger and the zest of 1/2 lime (if you have, I omit that). Bring to a boil, then add the rice. Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the rice is creamy and soft.
Discard the lemongrass and ginger and mix in the rest of the sugar (55 g) and the coconut milk.
Divide the rice pudding among 4 small bowls or 2 larger ones.
Mix the cooked strawberries with the fresh ones. Top the rice pudding with the strawberry compote and the slivered almonds.
Enjoy immediately!
