Domatorizo Pilafi - Tomato Pilaf

Tomato Pilaf

From Time/Life's Foods of the World - Middle Eastern Cooking, 1969:

To serve 4:

2 medium-sized fresh, ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons butter, plus 4 tablespoons melted butter

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly-ground black pepper

2 cups beef stock, fresh or canned

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 cup long- or medium-grain white rice, uncooked

In a heavy 2- to 3-quart saucepan, combine the tomatoes, 4 tablespoons of butter, the salt and a few grindings of pepper. Stirring and mashing the tomatoes with a spoon, cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and fairly smooth. Add the stock and the tomato paste, bring to a boil and cook briskly for 5 minutes. Purée the mixture through a fine sieve set over a bowl, pressing down hard on the tomatoes with the back of a spoon before discarding the seeds and coarse pulp.

Measure the purée and return it to the saucepan. There should be 2 cups. If there is more, boil it briskly over high heat until reduced to the required amount; if there is less, add more stock. Bring to a boil over high heat, then pour in the rice. Stir once or twice, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender but still slightly resistant to the bite.

Add the 4 tablespoons of melted butter and toss the rice with a fork until the grains glisten. Drape a towel over the rice and let it stand at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before serving.