Jammed with a harmonious balance of dried chiles, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate, this mole poblano can be ready in about an hour's time, or more, if you want to let the pot simmer awhile. The key to success is preparation.
Bunuelos are remarkably thin, golden, crispy pastry disks that are popular throughout much of Mexico, especially around Christmastime, and are an obsession of Rick Baylesses.
This recipe does not require many ingredients, but what it does require is a solid game plan, and good technique. Rick Bayless will walk you through the dish's preparation step by step, and the outcome is well worth the wait.
Even though Rick Bayless cannot take you to where he learned how to prepare Mexico's most famous sweet treat, he can show you how to achieve the luscious texture, enticing aromas, and beautiful caramel color the dish is known for.
On the streets of Morelia, you will find Enchiladas a la Plaza, a wondrous style of enchilada in which a spoonful of richly flavored vegetables is piled atop (not inside) seared, red chili-flavored tortillas. Here is Rick's delish recipe.
Though these are more traditionally made with chicken, Rick's favorite version is made with a mixture of roasted vegetables. For this recipe, he calls for a modest amount of cheese melted on top, but you can always add more.
Did you hang on to any of the Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa you made? We are going to put it to deliciously simple use with these Oaxacan-inspired tostadas. These are great for a quick snack, and even better if you let the cheese marinate.
When the temperatures drop, Rick likes to imagine he is somewhere much warmer, snacking on this creamy, crunchy, crowd-pleasing "green" version of a classic Mexican shrimp cocktail.
Hoja Santa grows wild in the Southwest, but Rick has found a way to grow it in Illinois. The leaves of this plant are used as a wrapper, or as a seasoning for meat, fish, mushrooms, tamales, as well as a special ingredient in yellow mole.
Drive down the Baja coastline from San Diego to Ensenada and you will find many restaurants serving mussels plucked right from the bay's fertile cold waters. Here, Rick combines fresh mussels with a seared version of Salsa Mexicana.
It is no secret: Rick loves kitchen knives. Whenever he travels, he visits specialty stores so that he may bring home something new for his collection. Here, he shows you some of his favorites, and reveals his kitchen essentials.
Rick would love to be in Oaxaca right now, tasting mezcal, and lazily strolling the Zocalo. Since he is not headed there anytime soon, he figures the next best thing is to make Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa, containing Pasilla Oaxaqueno chiles.
Warm and fruit-filled, ponche is the traditional punch served at Christmastime posadas in Mexico. Serve it without alcohol or spike it con piquete ("with a little bite") by adding white rum.
When you buy corn tortillas at the store, your work is still incomplete. Here, Rick shows you a helpful, foolproof way to reheat store-bought tortillas and keep them warm and pliable.
Nutty, spicy, and good on just about anything you can put it on, Rick Bayless will reveal how to prepare a tasty salsa macha, your new go-to condiment.
Inspired by the La Guerrerense seafood street cart in Ensenada, Rick heads to the kitchen to create these perfect little scallop tostadas. If you want to follow the lead of Sabina Bandera, you can serve them raw.
The very best tamales are made from fresh-ground corn masa, and fresh-rendered pork lard. You can make delicious tamales with alternative ingredients, as well. First, Rick outlines the equipment and basic ingredients you will need.
This brothy seafood and rice dish can accommodate pretty much anything from the sea you can think of adding to it. When looking to make a nice quick meal, this version of Arroz a la Tumbada is perfect for company.
This is the rusty-colored red chile version of the green chile roasted tomatillo salsa, minus the cilantro. When Frontera Foods opened 25 years ago, this was one of the five iconic salsas on the menu, and ever since, sales have soared.
Rick takes the ubiquitous, soul-satisfying, Torta de Milanesa found throughout Mexico, and swaps out the meat for golden-crusted eggplant, then adds fresh goat cheese, fresh greens, a spoonful of smoky chipotle salsa, and cheese garnish.
One of the most essential tools in any home kitchen is a honing steel knife sharpener. Here, Rick demystifies the process so you can get in the habit of keeping your knives ready.
Rick gives you a quick tour of his home kitchen, including some custom-built features he added that add to his ability to entertain guests. Plus, he will offer one key tip for designing your kitchen for maximum efficiency.
Rick Bayless introduces you to your new favorite breakfast. Ingredients-wise, he encourages you to buy carne seca that has already been pounded/milled from a Mexican grocery, or Online.
Molcajetes are for more than presenting your guacamole creations. Crushing rock against rock will bring out flavors and aromas that you will never achieve in a blender. Does it require more elbow grease? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
In Spanish, a piedrazo translates to a "blow given with a stone," so the name itself serves as a warning. In this Spanish dish, 'the rock' is the chunk of hard bread, while the vinegar, chile, and salt are 'the blow' to your senses.
These tacos are down-right delicious. And you can make them in a flash. The best versions of these tacos that Rick has ever tasted are from street vendors, where they have the potato-chorizo mixture browning on the side of the griddle.
Queso fundido is, literally, melted cheese. That is, cheese put into an earthenware dish and melted beside, or over, a bed of coals. For this recipe, Rick took a page out of the fondue playbook and added a little beer to the mix.
Tomatillo salsa can be made in so many ways, and with varying proportions. Tomatillos are acidic and the process of roasting adds welcome sweetness. Plus, the bits of charred skin add a rustic gutsiness.
The Mayan-named 'sikil pak' is a preparation that has been passed down for generations. Some cooks emphasize tomatoes in their mixture, but Rick prefers allowing the richness of the seeds to shine through. This dish is easy to love.
While Rick admits there is something thoroughly craveable about a traditional fideo seco dish, this version gives it a run for its money. That said, crispy chorizo, diced avocado, and anejo cheese would not be at all out of place here.
Rich in roasted tomatoes, browned meat, and smoky chipotle chiles, this is one of Rick's favorite dishes. In colonial Puebla, tinga is offered as a stew (what we will make here), a torta, and stuffing for masa turnovers.
Due to its buttery richness, Rick always serves this dish warm from the oven, or after giving it some heat in the microwave or low oven. Serving it warm is the best way to thoroughly indulge in the torta's moist tenderness.
Whenever Rick arrives in Mexico City, he always makes a beeline straight to Contramar, Gabriela Camara's groundbreaking seafood restaurant, for a long, leisurely lunch that always includes the restaurant's famous Tuna Tostada.
When it comes to creating recipes, 'precision' is one of Rick's great talents. Fine-tuning your weighing and measuring skills, especially when baking, can help you perfect the cuisine you create in your home kitchen.
This is one of Mexico's most iconic flavors. Here, Rick envelopes seared cubes of steak in a beautiful chile sauce, and the sweet crunch of the caramelized onion offers the perfect counterpoint to vibrant red chile and savory seared beef.
It is time to get frying, and these Taquitos Ahogados are the perfect place to start. Serve them as a quick snack, or as a fun first course, but wither way, Rick guarantees smiles all around.
The ingredients in this dish truly represent the classic flavors from the heart of Mexico. Rick really loves this dish with rustic mashed potatoes made from red or white-skin potatoes that are boiled, not baked. Rice is also welcome.
Here are a few things Rick believes you need to know to become a better cook. Notice that these pointers do not include the size of your kitchen, or the quality of your appliances.
This queso fresco resembles a whole-milk ricotta, but Rick presses it more firmly so that it can be easily crumbled. To tackle this project, you will need an accurate thermometer that registers down to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rick makes two versions of Mexican-style crema. The first is luscious, nutty, and resembles crema de rancho, while the second is sour and more stable when spooned onto warm flautas. Both can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Here is one of the classic seven moles from Oaxaca. Most would say the lightest, and the simplest. Now, if you are careful with the chicken and vegetable poaching, the result can be quite nice, and the sauce is completely traditional.
Transform something ordinary into something truly memorable. Rick offers you two options for flavoring your huevos con chorizo here: one complementary (using smoky red chipotle), and one contrasting (using roasted green poblano).
A look at the other side of Rick Bayless' kitchen reveals the everyday essential kitchen appliances that set him up for success as a home cook. What is on your wish list for your kitchen?