If you love fluffy, restaurant-style Mexican red rice, here's how it's done. You can serve it with, in, on, or under just about anything in this book.

• 6 beefsteak or 8 plum tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons Chipotle Purée
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 cups long-grain white rice
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion

In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, place the tomatoes and char until their skins split and they become aromatic. Transfer the tomatoes to a blender or food processor and purée. Stir in the cilantro. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine the water, puréed tomatoes, garlic, Chipotle Purée, and salt. Bring to a boil. Heat the oil in another large saucepan over high hear until just before the oil begins to smoke. Add the rice and onion and sauté until three-quarters of the grains are bright white or slightly brown, 7-10 minutes. (Do not drain the oil.) Add the tomato mixture from the other saucepan, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat, cover, and let stand covered for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and tasting to see whether the rice is done. When the rice is cooked through, fluff with a fork, then keep warm until ready to serve.