SMOKED RICE MOLDS WITH MARINATED TOMATOES

SMOKED RICE MOLDS WITH MARINATED TOMATOES

Smoked rice with carrot matchsticks, peas and sautéed sweet onion, flavored with a light soy sauce. Served with Roma tomatoes in a tarragon vinaigrette!

Makes 7, ½ cup servings

1-1/4 c. water

1 T. olive oil

½ t. salt

1 c. long grain white rice

2 T. corn oil

2 T. white vinegar

¼ t. dried tarragon, finely crushed

salt to taste

6 fresh Roma tomatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes

2 T. olive oil

1 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1 med. yellow onion, diced

1/8 t. liquid smoke

1 c. fresh carrot strips matchstick size*

1 c. froz. peas

2 T. Lite Soy Sauce (Kikkoman’s brand is gluten-free)

In medium saucepan combine water, oil and salt. Bring to boil, add rice, stir, return to boil, stir well again. Cover tightly, reduce heat to low and cook exactly 20 minutes. Remove from heat, fluff with fork and set aside.

Marinated Tomatoes: Prepare tomatoes while the rice steams. In medium bowl combine corn oil, vinegar and tarragon. Stir briskly with fork till thickened. Add tomatoes, stir to lightly coat. Salt to taste and set aside.

In large saucepan, over low heat, melt oil. Add garlic and onion and sauté, being careful not to burn garlic, till onion becomes soft and sweet.

Meanwhile, cook matchstick carrots in salted water till just tender (pliable but not soft enough to break easily). Immediately drain and set aside.

Add liquid smoke to garlic and onion; stir well, then add cooked carrots, peas and soy sauce. Stir and cook about 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Add rice to veggies, stir to evenly disperse all ingredients.

For each serving: Pack rice moderately firmly into a ½ cup measuring cup or its equivalent. Invert onto dinner plate. Tap bottom and lift off cup. Rice mold remains. Spoon Marinated Tomatoes alongside on the same plate and serve.

Notes: We use very little dressing for the Marinated Tomatoes because we only want a light coating.

To make carrot matchsticks: Peel carrot, cut off ends. Cut whole carrot crosswise into 1-1/2 inch long segments. Keeping each segment on its side, slice from end to end into very thin slabs/planks. Stack a few at a time and cut from end to end into very thin sticks, matchstick-size. Use a sharp, broad, sturdy knife.