Rosie Makes Green Rice Pudding And Pistachio Pudding Parfaits.

I don't know about you, but I find green rice intriguing.

Not long ago, Mr. Hawthorne and I made a special trip to Duck to go to The Spice and Tea Exchange, a fairly new establishment in the Scarborough Lane Shoppes.  Among other goodies (an assortment of spice blends), Rosie returned home with bamboo green rice.  It's a short grain rice infused with the chlorophyll from young bamboo.  It's a lovely green color and the rice retains its color when cooked. 

 I've already used green rice in one dish -

as a happy little

 nest for seared scallops

 in my homage to Spring.

 

Today, I'm thinking "comfort food," 

so I decided on a green rice pudding.

 

And of course, Rosie didn't stop at green rice pudding.

She had to take it up a notch and make pistachio pudding as well. 

Layer both puddings in a parfait glass - green on green -

and it's perfection.

 

 Rosie's Bamboo Green Rice Pudding

1/2 cup green rice

3 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

1/3 cup brown sugar

peel of 1 orange

pinch of kosher salt

Combine all ingredients.  Scrape the seeds out of the bean and into the mixture, and throw the bean in for good measure.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a bare simmer.  Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until thickened and the rice is cooked - about 45 - 50 minutes.  Remove vanilla bean and orange peel and season with more salt, to taste, if needed.  

Now, I could eat this right out of the pan, but instead, I chilled it while I made the pistachio pudding.  And no.  We're not talking instant Jello pudding here.  I'm making the real deal.

 Pistachio Pudding

2 cups whole milk

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

2 TB cornstarch

kosher salt

1 tsp vanilla

2 TB unsalted butter

pistachio paste

For the pistachio paste, combine:

 1/2 cup pistachios

 1/3 cup sugar

 3 TB water

Pulse in processor until smooth.

Combine pistachio paste and milk in medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until simmering.

In a medium bowl, beat yolks.  Beat in sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

Pour about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the eggs to temper, whisking constantly. 

Add the egg mixture to the hot milk and heat to a boil, whisking until thickened.  Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla.  Let cool.

For Pudding Parfaits:
Layer rice pudding and pistachio puddings in parfait glass.
Sprinkle extra pistachio nuts over top.
Chill before serving.

 Parfait Perfection!