GUEST BLOG Red Rice

 This recipe is from the Washington Post and Kevin was dying to make it. He fondly remembered his Mom's version of rice with ketchup :) We served it with steak.

• 1 1/3 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, cut into small dice (2/3 cup)
• 1 poblano pepper or 1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into small dice (2/3 cup)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 1/2 cups fresh tomato puree (28 oz can)

• Use a bowl and a fine-mesh strainer to rinse the rice with several changes of water, rubbing the grains together with your fingers until the rice no longer clouds the water in the bowl. Drain the rice a final time, then spread it on a baking sheet to air-dry.

  Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the onion and the poblano or green bell pepper. Cook for 4 or 5 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent.

  Stir in the rice to coat; cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently and reducing the heat to prevent browning the rice. It should smell nutty and begin to turn opaque.

  Add the salt, black pepper and tomato puree; increase the heat as needed to bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook for 20 minutes, undisturbed.

  Turn off the heat; keep the pot covered and let the rice sit for 20 minutes.

  Use a wide spatula to gently turn the rice from the bottom of the pot, and fluff the grains with a fork.  

  Note: To make the tomato puree, core the tomatoes and cut them in half. Grate their cut sides on the large-holed sides of a box grater set inside a large bowl. Discard the skins; you will use the pulp and seeds and juice. The yield 3 1/2 cups. Alternatively, peel and core the tomatoes, then run them through a blender on the lowest speed.