• Breadcrumbs on March 24, 2010

  This is my "go-to" book for amazing, authentic Mexican dishes. We have never been disappointed with results. Rick's stories, tips and riffs all add to the enjoyment. I've made about 1/3 of the recipes in this book and one thing that always astounds me is how flavourful the final dishes are with so few ingredients.

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Classic Mexican red rice (Arroz rojo)

  • Cheri on January 14, 2011

    This was very good, quick, easy. Added quickly sauted boneless chicken thighs and put the frozen peas in at the beginning. Used a fresh pico de gallo, so rice needed a little more liquid. Great quick weeknight dinner.

  • Cheri on January 14, 2011

    Also sprinkled with queso fresco to serve.

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    First made this in '09. Delicious! Used 1 cup enchilada sauce and 1/2 cup Pace salsa. Needed extra stock as rice was still under-done at the 20 min mark. I added pinto beans and sugar snap peas (fresh from Linton's) along w 1 sweet onion, chopped. Topped w grated Monterey Jack cheese. Wonderful!

  • lorloff on March 26, 2021

    This was delicious. Used Bayless Chipotle salsa and it did need a bit more salt. We made it in our rice maker and had to add more stock so the rice would cook completely. Microwave cooking the peas and adding at the end worked well. Added a chopped white onion and two cloves of garlic which I sautéed first. Will make again. We served it with red mole chicken..

  • chawkins on May 25, 2021

    Very good even though I forgot to add the peas at the end. I used home canned salsa and did the entire cook on the stove top the same way I always cook rice.

  • mgwalter on January 10, 2016

    This is going to be as good as the canned salsa you use to make it. The peas were a nice touch. Could have used a little more salt and perhaps would have been worth trying lard instead of oil.

• Grilled roadside whole chicken with knob onions (Pollo a las brasas con cebollitas)

  • westminstr on March 24, 2014

    I coated my chicken pieces with the rub/marinade and roasted them in the oven at 450. I basted halfway through with the remaining marinade, and at the end I turned the heat down to 400 because the marinade was starting to burn. Verdict: delicious! I'm sure this would be even better cooked on a charcoal grill, but as it was we enjoyed it.

  • smtucker on August 22, 2017

    Excellent! I used 6 chicken thighs, keeping the marinade amount the same. I chose to grind my chili powder after roasting the peppers and selected one ancho and one mulato. Excellent choice. I also smeared the marinade on the chicken about an hour before cooking. The chicken thighs took longer than indicated: 55 minutes. Loved the complexity of flavor for so little effort.

  • Delys77 on July 07, 2020

    The onions were very nice but I didn't love the marinade on this chicken. I found the combo of orange juice and cloves/cinnamon not to my taste.

  • Rinshin on August 03, 2017

    Excellent taste using chicken thighs cooked with charcoal grill. Added the grated rind of orange along with the juice to the wet rub.

• Gulf Coast-style white rice pilaf (Arroz blanco)

  • westminstr on March 24, 2014

    This is a nice, basic and very flavorful rice. I had to cook it an extra five minutes due to my slow oven.

  • Breadcrumbs on May 05, 2013

    p. 88 Simple, delicious and weeknight-friendly! What more could you ask for in a dish? The stovetop/oven cooking method was quick and efficient. This recipe reminded me why I love RB and this book so much…with just a few seemingly everyday ingredients you truly can produce an aromatic and flavourful dish that is far greater than the sum of its parts. I had the rice ready about 40 mins before we were ready to eat so I also would add that this dish held perfectly in my warming oven. This is a recipe you may quickly discount because, let’s face it, we know how to make rice and this one just has a bit of onion and garlic stirred in. I’ve made many recipes in this book and I’ve passed this one up before for just that reason. It was a mistake. This is lovely. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900402#8051359

  • Delys77 on May 02, 2013

    Pg. 88 Made the variations for the rice cooker and the poblano and herbs. Overall a nice little pilaf with a little heat from the poblanos, and lots of flavour with the herbs and alliums. Would repeat this one, but likely with a saucier dish, perhaps the chipotle shrimp. If making it in the rice cooker go with about half the recipe. I substituted anaheim peppers for poblano and that worked well.

  • hirsheys on January 08, 2023

    This simple pilaf is more of a method than a recipe, but I’m glad to have stumbled on it. I did one of the variants - sauteing on the stove, then scraping the mixture into my rice cooker. It came out great and stayed warm until my meatballs were finished, plus I didn’t have to worry about burning it (which I always seem to do on the stove/in the oven…) The pilaf itself is cozy and a great accompaniment to the slightly spicy meatballs.

  • chawkins on May 27, 2019

    Simple and delicious pilaf. Rather than cooking it in the oven, I cooked mine on the stove top, the way I normally cook rice. Turn it to low simmer once the liquid comes to a boil.

  • minerva on December 17, 2013

    I added some peas and corn for interest, I sometimes use carrots too in similar recipes.

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Wonderful version of rice. I make it all the time. Highly recommended.

• Home-cooked beans [stovetop, slow-cooker or pressure cooker] (Frijoles de la olla tradicional o moderna)

  • westminstr on July 16, 2014

    I used this recipe for santa maria pinquitos in the thermowell. The beans came out well after cooking all day (some could have even cooked a little more, methinks) but I often put garlic in my beans and I missed it here.

  • meelays on January 14, 2010

    This is a fantastic recipe for beans. Be sure to use the epazote if you can find it. I buy at the local Latino market.

  • TrishaCP on April 17, 2012

    Great recipe- I used the slow cooker and the beans came out creamy and perfect. I chose pintos, but this recipe would be great to highlight any kind of good quality beans.

  • chawkins on May 13, 2021

    I cooked some pinto using the instant pot, this is very similar to my usual way of cooking unsoaked beans with the exception that Rick Bayless added some onions and the optional epazote. The addition of onion added a lot of flavor to the beans, I used olive oil as I always do, but I can see how some lard or bacon fat could improve the taste.

  • mgwalter on January 10, 2016

    Found this to be rather boring upon following the recipe as it was written. Used locally rendered lard and espazote and pintos. After dinner, decided to through in some stock and cook a little longer and will try incorporating it into the retried beans recipe the book has in it.

  • foodgloriousfood on May 28, 2023

    This recipe is on page 82 not 52. I will update my note when I have made this.

• Quick cowboy beans (Frijoles charros rápidos)

  • westminstr on March 24, 2014

    This is the best way I know to dress up a can of beans.

  • Breadcrumbs on May 06, 2012

    p. 86 Delicious but not so quick if you are using dried beans! Rick has a recipe for cooking dried beans on p. 82 but mine were almost cooked when I realized this. I’ll try them next time though as he doesn’t soak overnight which is interesting. Once your beans are ready this does come together quickly. I added some extra garlic (used 4 large cloves in total) and since I didn’t have Rick’s more flavourful bean liquid, I used a full 15 oz can of tomatoes to supplement the flavour of the bean water. I likely added 1/4 cup of chopped jalapenos as well. Rick has a riff using Ancho chili powder as well – I added 1 tbsp. These were fantastic. Great with our Cinco de Mayo fiesta and perfect the next day for breakfast w an egg poached in the liquid.

  • cespitler on November 03, 2012

    This is one of my favorite ways to use Rancho Gordo beans. I usually opt for a vegetarian version and home-canned pickled jalapenos. The simple recipe is a great way to show off the fantastic flavors of the beans. You won't be disappointed.

  • wcassity on September 12, 2014

    Family favorite. We make this all the time, eat it as a main by dipping tortillas in it.

  • chawkins on May 13, 2021

    This is quick, simple and delicious. I started with dry beans using the recipe in the same book for cooking beans on the stove top, in a slow cooker or pressure cooker. I cooked mine in the IP.

  • minerva on February 16, 2014

    Used smoked lamb instead of bacon, was amazing.

  • averythingcooks on September 11, 2022

    These were delicious beside BBQ'd pork chops. I cut it roughy in 1/2 and used cooked beans from my freezer (a mix - mostly pinto with some black & navy to top them up). I didn't want to open a can of tomatoes right now so a good handful of halved grape tomatoes went into the pan as the bacon was finishing to blister and pop. I used pickled serranos & subbed in parsley (soap tasters) then sprinkled the pan with grated cheese for a pass under the broiler. A simple (and great!) dress up for beans.

• Swiss chard [or spinach] tacos with caramelized onion, fresh cheese and red chile (Tacos de acelgas [o espinacas] con cebolla caramelizada, queso fresco y chile rojo)

  • westminstr on July 16, 2014

    I mixed in some leftover pork to make a heartier taco and used ricotta salata for the cheese. I really enjoyed these tacos but I was the only one.

  • wcassity on September 12, 2014

    Great use for summer swiss chard. I added a little chorizo for extra flavor and heat.

  • Delys77 on May 02, 2013

    Pg. 205 Wouldn't be likely to repeat this one. The dish comes together very quickly and has lots of greens, but the flavour profile is a little one note. The cheese, salsa, and even the veggies give this just too much tang.

  • mjes on August 25, 2021

    I used collard greens, bacon drippings, vegetable broth, feta and smoky chipotle salsa. I loved the recipe and the versatility it offers. The only issue is making sure that one boil off as much moisture as possible ... soggy tortillas are not particularly pleasant.

• Red chile chicken and rice with black beans (Arroz rojo con pollo y frijoles negros)

  • westminstr on March 24, 2014

    Made with bs thighs instead of breasts, and would make that change again. For the chile, I used half ancho and half smoked paprika, which is an option mentioned in the riffs. For the rice, I used calasparra. I garnished with both spring onion greens and chopped cilantro, used extra of each, and that was good since I didn't have any salsa to go with it. This dish was gutsy and robust from the garlic, onion and chiles, though not at all spicy. I would have liked some salsa to add heat, but even without it, this was a very flavorful dish. I was a bit surprised how much my family LOVED this dish, especially my kids!

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    This dish is simply excellent. The Ancho chilli is not hot but Rick's chipotle salsa sure is and the combination is perfect! I made some slight variations. I cut the chicken into strips and tossed w the ancho and salt then cooked. We serve on flour tortillas w some Mexican cheese sprinkled on tope. Fabulous!

  • sapahl on August 08, 2011

    This is and easy and satisfying meal - always a crowd pleaser!

  • Delys77 on June 03, 2013

    Pg 267 Flavourful without being too spicy, and very easy to put together. Rice after the 12 minutes was still a little chalky so the extra five minutes he suggests was just right. I think this definitely needs a little salsa and even a bit if crems would be nice. Make sure to season the chicken well, you could also cube and toss with the rub then cook.

  • clkandel on March 03, 2022

    Easy to prepare and lots of flavor in this dish. I substituted Lina Sisco's Bird Egg beans, which are firm, reddish beans, instead of black beans.

  • hbakke on April 23, 2020

    Delicious! I used cubed chicken thighs instead of chicken breast and ground 3 dried ancho chilies for the powder. I served this with sour cream, cilantro, salsa, and tortilla chips. Yummy! This would be a good burrito or enchilada filling.

• Pineapple [or other fruit] skillet upside-down cake (Volteado de piña [o otra fruta] en sartén)

  • westminstr on March 24, 2014

    Made with 3 cups of chopped rhubarb. I did not increase the sugar to compensate for the rhubarb's tartness, and I was glad I didn't. In fact, next time I would add even more rhubarb, as it reduces greatly, and I would use a tad less sugar, as I found the cake a bit sweet. We enjoyed this cake! Will make again with other fruit.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    This was nice and easy, but way too sweet. Next time I would try 1/4 cup instead of 3/4 cup.

  • hilarie on June 11, 2020

    6yo didn't like the cake part? I dunno. But this recipe is really versatile.

• Skillet fruit crisp (Cazuela de frutas empolvoronadas)

  • westminstr on October 06, 2014

    Made with a bunch of peaches/nectarines that were too mushy to eat out of hand. No butter in the house so subbed a combo of coconut and olive oil. Also cut back on the sugar a bit (just 1 tb to caramelize the fruit, and cut the white sugar back to 1/4 cup, but added a little extra brown sugar). It was still quite sweet, I think I could cut back even more. I liked the pumpkin seeds very much and would like to try with apples and butter as written.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    Fast, good, and easy.

• Red chile enchiladas with chicken and melted cheese (Enchiladas rojas de pollo con queso derretido)

  • CRCarroll6 on January 03, 2015

    Made this sauce a couple of times. Fantastic! I throw the works into the Vitamix and call it good rather than straining.

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    This dish is absolutely delicious! I use the riff which subs chipotles in adobo for the guajillos. After trial and error, we've landed on 1 chipotle as the sauce was super-hot w three and still too hot w 2! We sandwich this between 2 tortillas as our are quite small. Just fabulous, rave reviews always.

  • LaPomme on February 14, 2011

    This recipe yields a wonderful, spicy enchilada sauce. I used the dried chiles and went through the step of straining the sauce. Straining probably added 10 minutes or more to the prep time.

  • nicolepellegrini on June 19, 2015

    Loved it. The sauce (I made with guajillos) was so addictive and tasty that I could have just eaten it all up with a spoon. I actually made these using shredded pork from a leftover pork loin and pork stock, instead of chicken, worked perfectly fine.

  • blintz on May 26, 2020

    This is a wonderful sauce for enchiladas. I used 6 Guajillo chiles and because I only had a food processor, I tried to strain out the bits of skin, but it was going to take too long, so I ignored that direction and it was just fine.

  • chawkins on October 31, 2020

    Delicious sauce, I used 3 guajilos which weighted to a total of one ounce and about 30 oz of fresh tomatoes from the garden. I did not peel nor seed the tomatoes, the Blendtec did a good job, there was no need to strain even though I did.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    I use this as a sauce for my boys' enchiladas. They prefer a red, non-spicy sauce. I use 2 T medium chile powder. This also is fast to make!

  • mgwalter on January 10, 2016

    Looked awesome going into the oven, but was really dry coming out. Will try again and use more liquid as the tortillas sure soaked it up. Felt it needed something acidic in it, but at a loss for what that might be. I agree with the previous notes - the sauce is really, really good, and might be even better mounted with some butter. :)

  • averythingcooks on July 26, 2020

    I only made the sauce this time (and used a different book/recipe for the filling). This is a delicious & rich sauce - 1 cut it in 1/2 using 1 dried guaillo & 1 dried New Mexico chili. I also have little patties of chili paste made from various dried chilis in the freezer - I think these little flavour gems would also work in this sauce.

  • ashallen on October 16, 2019

    Great recipe for classic chicken enchiladas with red chile sauce - my husband loooooves these. We use ancho chiles and baked chicken thighs for the cooked chicken. Recipe calls for 8 oz cooked chicken - we've used anywhere from 8-14 oz. I lightly toast cumin seed and grind it fresh. Semi-dry mozzarella has worked OK when other cheeses weren't on hand. With anchos, I find that some of the immature (and very tough!) seeds survive the blender, even when I use the Vitamix, so I usually strain the sauce. Be careful when reducing the sauce - it wants to spatter!

  • Soulkitchenjen on November 26, 2023

    They’re…fine. 8 oz is not enough chicken to fill 12 tortilla. I ended up needed both chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken. The sauce needs more spice. I don’t think I’d make them again

• Yucatan-style shrimp in achiote

  • Breadcrumbs on May 05, 2013

    p. 253 Fabulous! This recipe is a riff on the chipotle shrimp recipe in this book w the following exceptions: instead of chipotle and adobo, you add achiote to the blender and, a little lime juice to the broth. I opted for chicken broth since that’s all I had on hand and I think it’s that spritz of lime juice that really “makes” this dish. That little bit of citrus combines perfectly with the earthiness of the achiote really draws out the wonderful briny flavour of the shrimp and brightens the flavours of the tomato sauce. We loved this Don’t pass this one up if you’re a shrimp lover. I actually think this would be great w fish poached in this lovely sauce as well…and I wouldn’t have said the same thing about the chipotle version which is a house favourite btw. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/900403#8051373

• Chipotle shrimp (Camarones enchipotlados)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    Another huge hit from Rick. Very good and easy this dish has so few ingredients yet the final dish is jam-packed with flavour. 1 chipotle is plenty for our tastes. Yum!

  • Lindalib on December 17, 2014

    Adding my voice to the chorus, this was an easy and delicious weeknight meal, even though it was sadly not garnished with cilantro because I didn't have any on hand.

  • ellabee on June 12, 2013

    p.252. Made a variation that's in the online recipe but not the cookbook: saute zucchini and cook with the sauce before adding the shrimp, for a one-pot meal (over rice). Easy and delicious, with leftovers for the two of us.

  • britt on April 04, 2014

    I thought this was good, but my husband LOVED it. Nice weeknight option. I boiled the shrimp shells in 3 cups water for about 5 minutes and used that for stock. I ended up only needing about a half cup, though. Used just 1 lb of shrimp, and that yielded 3 servings for us. Served with rice and a salad dressed with the Lime-Cilantro Dressing from the same book, which I thought paired well.

  • TrishaCP on May 17, 2015

    Fast and delicious, though my husband mistakenly added a third chipotle and it pretty much blew us away with heat. (The recipe says 2-3, but 3 is only recommended for real chile heads.) I added summer squash to serve with rice to make a complete meal. I will definitely make this again!

  • Delys77 on March 06, 2013

    Pg. 251 This dish gets 5 points for ease of preparation and flavour. As the other review says, there are a hand full of ingredients that compliment each other very well. I only needed about a half cup of stock and we went with 2 chipotle. Served with a nice green salad and crusty bread.

  • chawkins on July 05, 2018

    Easy, fast and quite tasty. I used two chipotles and the heat level was just right for us. Served with cilantro lime rice.

  • hilarie on December 15, 2019

    Used one chipotle for kid friendliness, but added some smoked paprika to make up for it. Served over quinoa with sauteed chard. Easy quick dinner.

• Mexican beans with chorizo and greens (Frijoles con chorizo y espinacas o acelgas)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    I'm beginning to sound like a broken record w the recipes in this book however, I can't help but say that we absolutely loved this super-easy dish! Made as set out in the recipe without modifications and it was perfect! Well received by all, such big flavours and, love it w the spinach. Looking forward to trying w chard this summer. Excellent!

  • MollyB on July 24, 2018

    Great recipe, made with spinach and garnished with goat cheese. I would recommend making it ahead if you can - it was very good the first night, but fabulous the next day.

  • wcassity on August 23, 2023

    Great weeknight meal. I cooked pinto beans in the slow cooker, sauteed chorizo and swiss chard together in a separate pan, then mixed the two together and seasoned before serving as a soup with pickled onions and jalapenos, sliced radishes, shredded cheese, and tortillas.

  • Delys77 on May 22, 2013

    Pg. 284 Simple but very healthy and tasty. Added a bit more chorizo to satisfy the carnivores and increased the feta a little as well. Cooked the spinach directly in the pot to avoid using the microwave. Weeknight winner!

  • aeader on June 07, 2022

    An easy weeknight meal with such great flavor. DH (who doesn't really care for beans) liked it and asked me to make it again. Served it with corn tortillas. Left the spinach out the first night, but then added it to the leftovers for lunch.

  • KissTheCook on October 09, 2018

    Used jalapeno deer sausage, precooked pinto beans, Swiss chard & 2 of the canned chilis (froze the rest). Terrific.

  • mamacrumbcake on February 08, 2020

    This was very simple, quick, and delicious. I love the spinach with black beans. It can be eaten over rice to make a full meal. My husband did not enjoy this as much as I did.

  • hbakke on October 05, 2023

    Very simple, tasty dinner. I used Soyrizo and added a drizzle of Mexican crema and hot sauce. I would make this again.

• Classic tortilla soup with all the trimmings (Sopa tortilla)

  • Breadcrumbs on January 13, 2013

    p. 125 Rick has a number of versions of this recipe in his various books. This version has been adapted to be an “Everyday” recipe so Rick encourages some shortcuts including the use of tortilla chips vs frying your own tortillas, the use of powdered pasilla vs toasting your own (tip on p. 123) and using fire-roasted tomatoes vs charring your own veggies for that smoky flavour. In the end this produced a tasty soup but it’s not my favourite version. IMHO, Lisa Fain’s adaptation of another version of Rick’s Tortilla soup produces a superior soup. In particular her additional spices, use of broiled veggies, chipotle chilies and, incorporation of lime juice (vs passing lime at the table) all make for a much tastier soup. Though I wasn’t at all impressed w the Homesick Texan book, it did yield that one outstanding recipe and it looks like it has become my “go-to” Tortilla Soup. Sorry Rick, it pains me to say this!

  • LaPomme on February 11, 2011

    Page 125

  • nicolepellegrini on May 29, 2021

    Very simple and flavorful. I did use more chicken than the recipe called for and did the variation with adding some kale to give it more greens.

  • apattin on June 28, 2019

    Perfect taste but the chicken was sparse and needed flavor because I did not s&p chicken cubes before adding to soup. Added shredded barbecued chicken (without the barbecue sauce!) and a bit of chopped tomato for even more freshness. Next time I'll either poach the chicken in stock or just go for 100% barbecued.

  • wcassity on November 24, 2018

    Great and tasty. Used leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Takes awhile to cook down the chile/tomato paste before adding the broth.

  • mgwalter on January 10, 2016

    Thought this was fantastic. Will double or triple the amount of chilies it calls for. Made very thin tortilla chips by julienning and frying the corn tortillas I'd bought for a different dish. Also wonder if a fresh cheese would be better than a melting cheese which the recipe calls for.

  • Baxter850 on February 08, 2018

    Super easy and super tasty. Used regular tomatoes.

• Chorizo, potato and mushroom tacos (Tacos de chorizo con papas y hongos)

  • Breadcrumbs on May 06, 2012

    p. 189 Outstanding! I love it when a recipe sounds delicious and still manages to exceed your expectations. This was a runaway hit for us! LOVED the flavour and texture the grated potato brought to the mix. Likewise we thought the mushrooms were a fantastic addition as they were a surprise element. I used king oysters so they had that meaty texture that folks loved. The chorizo is definitely the star of this dish so it pays to have excellent quality sausage. I purchased mine at Segovia and they were ridiculously good, perfectly seasoned. We just couldn’t stop eating these despite having a wide variety of other dishes to choose from. Amazing! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/846317#7322322

  • TrishaCP on July 29, 2012

    These are a breeze to make and really delicious. I used a high quality Colombian chorizo from a local butcher, a bit less than the recipe called for but sufficient to flavor it. I also used half yellow potatoes and half purple (since that's what I had on hand)- really pretty colors from those choices.

  • chefmichael on August 07, 2018

    Suggestion for making this: before cooking, take some of your fresh chorizo, form it into a small patty, and fry it up. Taste it for seasoning to know whether you will need more salt etc. in the dish or if it is highly seasoned already from the market you bought it at. In MY case, I bought beautiful-in-appearance (the annato color) fresh chorizo from my local Mexican market. But the finished mixture was quite bland even with salt because the chorizo was barely seasoned. That said, my Mexican market had two varieties of chorizo - one presumably "regular" and the other labeled "spicy". Next time I'll buy the spicy AND taste it ahead of cooking the rest of the ingredients. Lesson learned. Really wanted and expected to like this after the other reviews, but like many things in cooking the result will depend heavily on your ingredients. So taste before you cook, and adjust accordingly.

• Smoky pork tinga tacos with avocado and fresh cheese (Tacos de tinga Poblana con aguacate y queso fresco)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    Easy and excellent this slow-cooker dish won raves at a superbowl party the first time we served it and it's been delighting us ever since. Once again, only used 2 chipotles and that's plenty hot, even for our heat-loving bunch. Terrific dish!

  • mirage on January 16, 2010

    crockpot

  • TrishaCP on July 17, 2013

    This is really an amazing dish- by far the best thing I have ever made in a slow cooker. I only used 2 chipotles out of caution, but without the optional chorizo, it wouldn't have been spicy enough for us. (Though the dish did seem to get spicier the day after cooking.) Ate as both a taco and as a stew- great both ways.

  • wcassity on September 12, 2014

    Very tasty. Great slow cooker recipe. I added chopped swiss chard at the end.

  • Delys77 on October 13, 2015

    This was very easy and very tasty. No need to brown the meat before it goes in so this can be done fairly easily in the morning. The potatoes seemed like an odd addition for a taco but it works very well. Smokiness of the chipotle is a winner here.

  • julesamomof2 on February 06, 2020

    This was surprisingly delicious for a slower cooker recipe. It was, however, much more work than I expected, between browning optional chorizo, thickening the sauce, and shredding the meat. Not what I wanted to be doing in the middle of the Super Bowl. Next time, I'll make it all in advance and then reheat in the slow cooker, especially if I'm entertaining. Like another reviewer noted, I thought the addition of potatoes interesting, and while it was fine, I'd reduce those a bit next time.

• Garlicky ancho chile rub (Adobo seco de chile ancho)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    We loved this rub. Used on chicken and pork. Nice balance of flavours. I used 3 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp chipotle powder and 3 tsp salt (vs 5). Terrific.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    10/09 Loved this! I agree with 3 tsp salt instead of 5. I used Aleppo Pepper instead of ancho. I also added onion powder.

  • ellencooks on March 19, 2021

    I made this for a flank steak and we loved it!

• Rustic roasted tomato salsa (Salsa de molcajete)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    Such wonderful flavours from such a quick and easy recipe w so few ingredients. Absolutely delicious We've tried w lime juice and the cider vinegar and prefer the lime juice.

  • lorloff on December 11, 2022

    We liked this salsa but it was not our favorite. We did not have fire-roasted canned tomatoes which would have made a difference. It was better adding fresh tomatoes to the salsa. The roasted garlic I would increase next time and the roasted chiles were great. Lime juice is key.

  • minerva on November 03, 2013

    We made with habanero and it was insanely spicy. We liked that, but I imagine the serrano option is much more moderated.

  • jjankows on February 23, 2015

    This has been my go-to salsa recipe for years. Lime juice, for us, is absolutely essential!

  • averythingcooks on December 12, 2021

    Another positive review for this salsa. I roasted a mix of jalapeño & poblano pieces and I agree that the lime juice is key to the final flavour. Lovely with our flank steak tacos.

• Smoky chipotle salsa with pan-roasted tomatillos (Salsa de chipotle con tomate verde asado)

  • Breadcrumbs on June 04, 2011

    Another hit from Rick! Outstanding salsa, love the charred tomatillos. Our chipotles must be much, much hotter than Rick's though as 1 was more than hot enough for our tastes.

  • Delys77 on May 17, 2013

    Pg. 149 Not too spicy, with great tang from the tomatillos. You can put a bit less water.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    If making this for someone who doesn't like a lot of spice, remove the seeds and veins from the chipotles. You will still get the smoky flavor without too much heat. I, on the other hand, love all the spice/heat I can get!

  • ellwell on June 20, 2023

    The salsa was good. It was pretty spicy with two chipotles. I recommend starting with one and adjusting for more heat if you want it.

• Chicken a la Veracruzana (Pollo a la Veracruzana)

  • PennyG on September 27, 2014

    This was nice. Chicken was falling off the bone and the sauce was good. I would add more olives. More of a winter dish than for a still hot and humid evening in San Antonio!

  • hirsheys on January 14, 2023

    This is a very easy slow cooker meal. I used boneless skinless breasts, not the skinned parts that were called for, and would do so again. I found this very cozy, but not terribly exciting. That said, my jalapenos were mild, so I think it’d be a very different dish with the super spicy ones you get in cans. I’d certainly make it again - it’s super easy - but I’m not blown away like I have been with some of Bayless’ other dishes. (I anticipate that it may improve tomorrow, though - these types of stews often do.)

  • heatherlee on March 06, 2019

    I opted to puree the fire roasted tomatoes using an immersion blender. The parsley added to the sauce just before serving brought a certain bitterness to the dish that I didn't like. Next time I will skip the parsley and add more of the manzanilla olives.

• Slow-cooked chicken with tomatillos, potatoes, jalapeños and fresh herbs (Pollo pulquero)

  • PennyG on June 19, 2023

    I really like this. It’s been a while since I made it as written (with chicken thighs). I made it today with cubed pork butt, as suggested in the recipe notes. It was delicious! I do believe you really need to add a lot of salt (as he says in the recipe instructions) to ensure it is not bland. I probably added around 2 tablespoons throughout the dish as I salted each layer. My new slow cooker has a “medium” temperature option; I cooked this at medium for 8 hours and it really was perfect.

  • zorra on September 05, 2013

    Disappointing. Perhaps partly my fault--in deference to others, used mild pickled jalapenos. But the flavor of the sauce was still good. Disliked the texture though. Both the chicken & the potatoes were almost mushy, overcooked. Maybe better in the oven or perhaps on low setting, or just 4 hours on high. Not sure I'll try again.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    This was too many thighs for my slow cooker. I used bone-in. I had to cook the entire 6 hours to get the veggies tender enough. I did try this again and cooked it in the oven. It was much, much better.

  • minerva on November 13, 2014

    I made this in a dutch oven, boneless thighs, banana leaf lining the pot, epazote instead of cilantro. It was surprisingly bland! I like the idea of this, but if I try again I'd use less potatoes, more salt, and maybe some chiles poblanos.

• Zucchini-mushroom tacos with [or without] chorizo (Tacos de calabacitas y hongos con [o sin] chorizo)

  • kari500 on January 24, 2023

    We enjoyed these much more than I expected. I used soyrizo (and probably a bit more than asked for in the recipe), and flour tortillas since that was what I had on hand. Very tasty, and easy to make.

  • Vand11 on June 26, 2021

    Somewhat like a Mexican Ratatouille

• Roasted eggplant salad

  • ellabee on February 20, 2013

    p. 75-76. Make with roasted garlic dressing p. 56. Serve with black bean cakes with lime crema, and guacamole with toasted tortillas.

• Chayote salad with tomato and roasted garlic dressing (Ensalada de chayote con jitomate y ajo asado)

  • ellabee on January 30, 2014

    p.77 & 79. First-ever chayote, and this is an easy and delicious way to have it. Add three minutes to microwave time for our 700W model. Made the variation with guajillo-garlic dressing (p.60; made the dressing in the morning to give flavors time to blend in fridge). Bright and with a bit of crunch; outstanding complement to cheesy chicken-peppers-rice casserole.

  • lean1 on May 27, 2022

    Made this recipe with the Riff on Panzanella. Made half the dressing with 1/2 Jalapeno. That sure did make my throat burn for a while with all the windows open. Be sure to turn on the fan if you have one. Otherwise it was excellent, easy to make and put together. Loved the combination of flavors.

• Toasted guajillo chile dressing (Aderezo de chile guajillo)

  • ellabee on January 30, 2014

    Excellent on microwave-steamed chayote, tossed with scallions and cilantro. Bayless answered my question on Twitter about the oil temperature ideal for toasting the garlic and dried guajillo: 325F (medium).

• Roasted tomatillo salsa (Salsa de tomate verde asado)

  • smtucker on August 22, 2017

    Love to make a large batch of this salsa when the tomatillos and garlic are in season [like now.] Freeze in containers for the long and dark winter.

  • cespitler on August 26, 2017

    This is my go to green salsa recipe--I typically at least double it. I include at least one tomatillo plant in my garden just for this. Along with chips it goes to work with me and is always welcomed by my team.

  • cespitler on November 03, 2012

    The first time I made this recipe, I had purchased a basket of tomatillos at the market and only needed a few for the intended recipe. This was my way to 'use up' the remaining tomatillos. Now I buy them especially for this recipe. It's become a favorite and I usually double the amount when I make it. It's easy to adjust the heat for specific audiences.

  • TrishaCP on August 19, 2021

    This is a really nice salsa. I used a home-grown jalapeno that had sat on the plant for a while, so even though I doubled the rest of the recipe, this was very spicy! (But that worked out well, because then it lasted longer.)

• Ceviche salad with avocado, cilantro, and green chile (Ensalada de ceviche con aguacate, cilantro y chile verde)

  • mcvl on July 17, 2013

    Very good. I added chopped yellow heirloom tomatoes -- at this time of year I'll add heirloom tomatoes to almost anything. Oatmeal? Maybe ...

• Chipotle meatballs (Albondigas al chipotle)

  • DKennedy on March 29, 2014

    The recipe for the meatballs can also be used to make a very moist, flavorful meatloaf. I prepared as described in the recipe, then baked it free form for 15 minutes at 450. After 15 minutes, I submerged it in the sauce and cooked for an additional 20 minutes at 450. I then sliced the meatloaf, set aside the sauce, and added the chicken stock and the meatloaf back to the pan. The chicken stock melded with the remaining chipolte sauce that clung to the outside of the meatloaf resulting in a wonderful broth. Sauce was served on the side. My family loved this meatloaf and I will definitely make it again, but I might play with the sauce, which was too spicy and not perfectly balanced as written.

  • TrishaCP on July 05, 2018

    We really liked these too, though next time I will definitely use two chipotles instead of the one that I used this time. I only have a small food processor at the moment, so I blended the bacon, garlic, and mint together, and then mixed that into the pork and other ingredients with my hands. I also used pureed fire-roasted tomatoes, and just added the rest of the ingredients to that mixture in the saucepan- came out fine. (No stock used or needed.) I served them with rice, but I think they will be best in a sandwich.

  • wcassity on December 20, 2016

    We love these - a big family favorite. Less than hour from beginning to end. I don't add the broth at the end - already plenty saucy.

  • Delys77 on March 10, 2021

    We were feeling like meatballs but wanted something different so gave these a try. We are trying to cut back on fat so we did these with turkey and about half the bacon called for. I also found i only needed about 1/4 cup of stock at the end. Overall nice flavour on these. The relatively high percentage of breadcrumbs and eggs make for a nice light meatball and the mint is a nice touch. I do think you need the full amount of chipotle as otherwise it is a bit too tomatoey. On the whole pretty good.

  • aeader on January 08, 2022

    We loved these - a definite repeat. Used 1lb beef/pork/veal ("meatball mix"), 1 chile and 1.5 Tbsp adobo sauce, did not add the broth based on previous reviews. The prep was easy, and it was doable on a weeknight. The meatballs were perfectly cooked, tender and moist. The sauce was delicious and had good depth of flavor with not too much heat (may use 2 chiles or more adobo sauce next time). Served these on toasted buns as an open-faced meatball sandwich and husband loved them. I think they would also be good with potatoes.

  • hirsheys on January 08, 2023

    I really enjoyed these meatballs! They are quite easy to put together, especially using the food processor as recommended (though I didn’t process the pork with the rest of the meatball ingredients - I folded it in at the end). I also found that the sauce was still quite saucy even after baking for the full time, so I didn’t need to add any broth. I served the meatballs on the rice pilaf from the book and was very satisfied with the meal, even though I usually don’t love mint! Two chipotles deseeded was just mildly spicy for me. Would definitely make these again.

  • averythingcooks on January 25, 2023

    We loved these! I cut it in 1/2 (using 8 oz of pork + 2 oz of fresh chorizo) and I have raw bacon crumbles stashed in the freezer. I used a combo of knife work & gentle mixing to avoid the food processor (wary of his "paste" warning) and I was leery of the mint so I used a mix of basil & parsley (given as suggested subs). I left the sauce a little chunky, did not use any broth at the end and topped the dish with grated Monterey jack & cheddar for a quick run under the broiler to finish. Delicious with a little sour cream beside a black bean, corn & rice combo.

  • sosayi on November 08, 2017

    My first time making these last night and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Very easy! Initial prep in the food processor helped with that (I added the mint leaves to the initial bacon/ garlic/ etc. processing), but I'll mix that by hand with the ground pork next time for a bit better texture, I think. I'd be interested in trying this as meatloaf, too, as per DKennedy's suggestion. I used the meatballs in a Mexican "torta" (with avocado, pickled red onions, cotija, shredded cabbage) and I think the meatloaf would be easier to eat that way.

  • ashallen on September 04, 2021

    These are very tasty meatballs with a garlicky sauce that's flavorful but a bit sharp for my taste. The bacon and mint flavors in the meatballs are particularly good. I stuck with one chipotle for the sauce since that's about as much heat as we can handle, but the full amount of adobo sauce adds good flavor. Recipe was easy and straightforward except for where it says to cook meatballs until the sauce looks like tomato paste. That's really thick and the sauce definitely wasn't that consistency after the stated cooking time. At that point, I removed the meatballs from the sauce (their centers were already 190F+ and I was worried they'd get rubbery if they cooked more) and returned the sauce to the oven for an extra 15-20 minutes. It got thicker and more flavorful but never did get to tomato paste consistency. Since it tasted good at that point, I stopped worrying about it. I experimented with adding chicken stock to a bit of the sauce but liked the flavor of the undiluted sauce better.

  • billcranecos on January 23, 2023

    A new household favorite. as of this note I've now cooked this three times over two months.

• Green chile chicken soft tacos (Tacos de pollo al chile poblano)

  • TrishaCP on August 19, 2021

    We really loved these tacos. We grilled the chicken, so I followed the directions to add the garlic in with the onions and peppers. Once the chicken was combined with the vegetables, we added the lime.

  • sapahl on August 08, 2011

    This recipe really turned me on to the wonders of poblanos. The technique of glazing the chicken with lime and garlic is really nice and very tasty we have substituted cider vinegar for the lime in a pinch and we probably like that version even better!

  • Delys77 on February 27, 2015

    Pg. 198 I also really liked this dish. The combination of flavours is very nice and it fairly healthful. I would suggest pulling the chicken, slicing, then returning to the pan for the glazing with lime. This way more surface area will be flavoured. I also found that my chicken needed about 12 minutes cooking. Tomatillo salsa is perfect accompaniment here, except that I blended the onion into the salsa.

  • Soulkitchenjen on April 23, 2023

    These were fine. I used the salsa verde. They seemed to be lacking something.

• Chicken in Oaxacan yellow mole with green beans and chayote [or potatoes] (Mole amarillo con pollo con ejotes y chayote [o papas])

  • TrishaCP on May 05, 2012

    This was good but not great- I was hoping for a little more heat and not as much blandness. I also thought the sauce was a little too thin for my liking- would use more masa harina next time to thicken things up.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    I doubled the spices and cut the chicken broth to 2 cups. I also added 4 T of masa harina instead of 1. Yes, I made a lot of changes, but it was worth it.

  • minerva on November 04, 2013

    As we tend to do, we added a little bit more of all the seasonings. It turned out wonderfully, and was quite easy.

• Crusty black bean-chorizo subs (Tortas de chorizo y frijoles negros)

  • TrishaCP on August 19, 2021

    This made a flavorful torta, though I may prefer mine with straight up black beans. I served with the roasted tomatillo salsa, which is really necessary to provide some heat and acid.

• Grilled chicken breasts [or thighs] with tangy Yucatecan spices, seasonal vegetables and roasted fresh chile salsa (Escabeche de pollo asado con verduras de temporada y salsa de chile verde asado)

  • TrishaCP on April 20, 2014

    I made just the chicken, as it was a weeknight and I already had sides. It was tasty, but the flavors didn't pop out from just the rub like I was hoping. I am guessing then the intent of the chicken is to be the background note and the book's salsa and red onions are intended to push the flavors over the edge. So definitely plan on serving with one or both, as I will next time.

  • Delys77 on May 06, 2013

    This was a lovely dish for the bbq. Used thighs and did them on charcoal bbq, the result was smoky and tangy. I sauteed the zucchini with a little garlic oil instead of putting them in the microwave. The salsa is very spicy, I would up the garlic, add a bit more water and decrease the jalapeno's by one. That said, it was a very nice combo with the chicken and the pickled red onions, which are a must to go with this dish. Lovely meal.

• Poblano rice with herbs

  • TrishaCP on August 23, 2014

    Delicious and flavorful side for any Mexican meal.

  • rjacktoo on June 01, 2013

    page 89

  • averythingcooks on January 09, 2022

    I used fresh oregano & added the suggested corn as well as a handful of black beans from the freezer. 1/3 of this recipe (ie 1/2 cup of rice) is plenty for the 2 of us. And I changed the amt of stock - in my rice cooker, the rice to liquid ratio is 1: just over 2...which is not the ratio used here. Very nice beside some BBQ'd pork and certainly worthy of repeat.

• Tomatillo pork braise with pickled chiles (Pollo en salsa verde con jalapeños encurtidos)

  • nicolepellegrini on October 18, 2019

    Cooked it low and slow on the stove top instead of in a slow-cooker or the oven. Wasn't sure how it would come out - seemed so basic and without any real seasoning besides salt and Worchestershire sauce. Was really surprised with the flavor once it was done! Meat was tender and it had a lot of the flavor of a salsa verde stew without the effort. Still, I might brown the meat first next time for a bit more depth of flavor. May make this for my holiday party this year as it's so simple and hearty.

  • bethihearyoucalling on July 07, 2011

    Made with half lamb stew meat, half boneless/skinless chicken thighs. Really good!

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    I used a bone-in pork shoulder, but I de-boned it and cut it into the cubes. I added the bone to the pot. I also browned the meat first. I know it takes a little more time, but I find it better this way. I also added more jalapeños and didn't scrape out the seeds. I cooked this in the oven because I prefer that to the slow cooker, especially for this cookbook.

  • emstovall on November 05, 2021

    Used 4lbs bone in skin on chicken thighs. removed skin pressure cook on high for 12 min partial natural release after 10 min remove from bones and separate to chunks

• Snapper with zucchini and toasty garlic mojo (Huachinango al mojo de ajo con calabacitas)

  • nicolepellegrini on July 04, 2018

    I thought this was okay for a quick, no-fuss meal but nothing special. A bit one note, and that the fish could have used some more seasoning of some kind, or maybe a flour or cornmeal crust.

  • wcassity on September 12, 2014

    Really excellent. A lot of flavor from a simple recipe. Followed the recipe exactly. Great summer fish recipe.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    This was very good. I used only 1 zucchini, but I also served another green vegetable on the side. I thought it could use a bit more spice so I added a little jalapeño.

• Smoky chipotle-balsamic dressing (Aderezo de chile chipotle, hierbas y vinagre balsámico)

  • nicolepellegrini on July 19, 2016

    Excellent dressing for a summer chop salad (corn, tomatoes, beans, etc.)

• Fresh tomatillo salsa (Salsa cruda de tomate verde)

  • nicolepellegrini on September 27, 2020

    Glad I read the comments and followed clkandel's suggestions. I added one lime and half the water suggested as it was definitely enough. I also used roasted garlic since I can't eat it raw. A very vibrant green salsa with a fresh flavor.

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 17, 2016

    Ok, I cheated and used canned tomatillos; but it still turned out well. It was delicious win the vegetable enchiladas that I made with zucchini, corn, red onion, black beans & white cheddar.

  • clkandel on July 01, 2019

    Very fresh tasting salsa. I added the juice of 1 lime. Add the water a little at a time. I didn't even use the least amount listed and I thought it was a bit watery.

• Chunky fresh tomato salsa (Salsa Mexicana)

  • nicolepellegrini on December 08, 2020

    A very good salsa. The combination of textures from pulsing part of the ingredients, then keeping others diced and chunky, gives it a unique appeal and consistency. I used pan-roasted garlic since I can't tolerate raw garlic.

  • Jviney on September 15, 2019

    Very good with summer tomatoes. The recipe doesn’t specify whether or not to seed the chile peppers and I wish I had kept some seeds for heat. Next time.

• Avocado-mango salad with fresh [or blue] cheese, bacon and toasted pumpkin seeds (Ensalata de aguacate y mango con queso fresco, tocino y pepitas tostadas)

  • apattin on March 23, 2023

    Sterling. I simplified the dressing by not toasting the garlic. Just added the oil to the lime mixture in the blender. Used chili powder (not spicy). Added roasted chicken to make it a full meal.

  • minerva on September 04, 2014

    Great with blue cheese and bacon. So complex! Had it as a side before, but will have it as a larger portion as a main dish with some bread next time.

  • MWFhome on April 30, 2014

    A delicious combination of flavors. I added a modest amount of grilled pineapple.

  • amandabeck on April 22, 2023

    YUM! Have never made dressing like this before, but it was FABULOUS! Earthy and tangy at the same time. Really delicious and nice accompaniment to a Mexican meal (I served with guajillo meatballs and refried black beans). I didn't have blue cheese so swapped feta; left off bacon; and used frozen mango that had thawed slightly.

• Grilled fish in tangy Yucatecan achiote with green beans and roasted tomato salsa (Tikin xik [Pescado asado al achiote con ejotes y salsa de molcajete]}

  • sapahl on August 08, 2011

    This is very delicious. Also, try the shrimp variation with refried black beans - a total crowd pleaser.

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    This was good, not great. I do like to vary my fish, so I will probably make this again just for something different.

• Red chileatole with mushrooms, chicken and zucchini (Chileatole rojo de pollo)

  • sapahl on August 08, 2011

    Pretty killer soup! We make the version with sweet potatoes and shiitakes.

• Quick-seared poblano beef tips (Puntas de filete al chile poblano)

  • Delys77 on May 03, 2013

    Pg. 292 I suggest cutting the potatoes a bit smaller as they took closer to 35 minutes (much of it covered) when I cut them to 1 inch cubes. Overall the flavour of the dish is very nice, with the beef remaining super tender and the sauce's flavour making up for the leanness of the dish. The roasted peppers add a nice touch. Overall pretty good.

• Jalapeño-baked fish with roasted tomatoes and potatoes (Pescado horneado al jalapeño)

  • Delys77 on May 15, 2013

    Pg. 239 I might try this again, but with a few modifications. As is I found the mahi mahi good but a little bland in and of itself. The sauce is delicious, but there was quite a bit of it and it totally overwhelmed the fish. As for the potatoes, I was dubious about the microwave method, but it was very easy and they had a nice texture. If I were to repeat I would still go with the bit of oregano in the sauce, but I would simmer the sauce separately in a little saucepan, while I cooked the fish using Rick Moonen's broiling method. The potatoes I would still microwave to parcook but I would also add them to the pan that goes under the broiler so that they could crisp a bit. I would then plate the potatoes and fish and sauce gently with some of the sauce, reserving the rest in a little ramekin for each dinner guest. I think this would yield better results.

  • aeader on December 31, 2021

    Would definitely repeat this, the flavors were very nice and it was quick and simple. The tomato sauce needs salt and maybe a little pepper - it was a little flat. There was a little heat from the jalapenos, but not a lot (which was fine with us). I used tautog/blackfish that my husband caught and we liked it a lot with this sauce. It was relatively simple to prepare and doable on a weeknight for us.

  • mamacrumbcake on October 14, 2020

    This is very quick and tasty. If you can get roasted tomatoes, use them instead. The salsa is really good for a pantry salsa. We used to make it all the time years ago and everyone liked it. It does need salt and more acidity than the recipe calls for.

• Chipotle chicken salad tacos with avocado, red-skin potatoes and romaine (Tacos de ensalada de pollo enchipotlado con aguacate, papas y lechuga orejona)

  • Delys77 on May 30, 2013

    Pg. 200 Cook the potatoes for about 6 minutes and simmer the chicken breast for about 12 then let sit in the stock for about 20 minutes. Finally add 1 to 2 more chipotle and some green tabasco. The result is a very creamy yet healthy taco that is out of the ordinary and very easy to make.

• Chipotle beef tacos with caramelized onions (Tacos de carne asada enchipotlada)

  • Delys77 on May 17, 2013

    Pg. 194 These were exceedingly simple to make and quite tasty. The adobo in the rub and the salsa give the dish a smoky flavour that is a great compliment to the beef and the onions. I liked the slightly crunchy yet browned onions, and loved the salsa that is suggested as an accompaniment. I would suggest doing the steak on medium for about 4 minutes per side, then putting into an oven for about 5 minutes at 350. Then you can let it rest outside the oven tented for another 5-10 minutes.

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    These tacos were pretty bland to us. I wouldn’t make them again.

• Roasted garlic dressing with green chile (Aderezo de ajo asado con chile verde)

  • Delys77 on May 17, 2013

    Pg. 56 For me the name was a misnomer since all you can taste is balsamic. It isn't bad, but would require twice the amount of garlic and chile to be anything other than a hum drum balsamic dressing.

• Creamy queso añejo dressing (Aderezo cremoso con queso añejo)

  • Delys77 on October 13, 2015

    Nothing to write home about, but fairly tasty and worked well with the rest of the mexican menu.

• Roasted mushroom salad with spinach and chorizo [or bacon] (Ensalada de hongos asados con espinacas y chorizo [o tocino])

  • Delys77 on April 29, 2013

    Pg. 109 I was a little worried by this dish as I am not always a fan of warm preparations for salad. That said, I was very pleased with this version. I used the bacon as I couldn't find any good chorizo and I paired it back to 5 slices which was plenty for us. The dressing is warmed so it adds to the smooth and silky flavour of the unctuous mushrooms and and crispy bit of onion and bacon. A very nice main course salad that yields about 3 adult dinner servings for our family.

  • minerva on November 07, 2013

    We love this salad, and will make it many times again. Two caveats. I will double the amount of dressing the next time I make it. Also, I think a more accurate serving estimate is 3 smaller or 2 larger servings, when sprinkled with goat cheese and served with bread.

• Grilled red-chile steak with sweet plantains, red onion and chipotle salsa (Carne asada con plátano macho y salsa de chipotle)

  • Delys77 on May 21, 2013

    Pg. 168 The rub for this was nice and smoky from the ancho chile powder, it made for a very flavourful steak when prepared with flank steak. The onions are a good accompaniment but they do fall apart on the grill so I would suggest using a grill pan. I couldn't find plantain so I went with the suggested riff of potatoes which I simply roasted in the oven. I would repeat this dish.

  • ellwell on June 20, 2023

    We enjoyed this dish. The rub was good, but nothing sensational. The onion and plantain salsa is what makes the dish. It creates a nice balance between spice and sweetness. I would make this again.

• Seafood corn chowder

  • Delys77 on May 06, 2013

    This is a good little soup. The milk makes it quite rich and velvety without adding too many calories and the flavour profile is nice and smoky from the poblano. I didn't strain it so I had some rough corn skins in there, but I was worried that the strained soup would be too watery. Next time I might strain about half of it. Used frozen corn and that worked just fine.

• Mushroom-potato crema with roasted poblanos (Crema de hongos y papas con chile poblano)

  • Delys77 on May 28, 2013

    Pg. 132 I modified this recipe by sauteeing the mushrooms before they went in to the soup. I also went with 2 anaheim peppers. Overall the flavour was simply, but good. Not blown away though so wouldn't likely make it again.

  • minerva on April 14, 2014

    We added home smoked pastrami, it was amazing. I suspect it would be just fine on its own, but it might do well with a small amount of strongly flavored meat in general.

• Tomato-and-jalapeño-sauced enchiladas with sour cream and aged cheese (Enjitomatadas con crema y queso añejo)

  • abettino on October 16, 2011

    shredded chicken can be replaced with beef or pork as well

  • averythingcooks on July 27, 2021

    I needed a red enchilada sauce for another recipe and came here as I prefer a more "tomatey" sauce than some recipes provide. This came together quickly, fit my needs perfectly and has a good hit of heat from the jalapenos. I would make this sauce again for sure.

• Salmon in luxurious green sesame pipián (Salmón en pipián verde de ajonjolí)

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 17, 2016

    I had some leftover tomatillo salsa and used it with salmon. I liked it; not my favorite salmon recipe; but a nice variation. Tomatillo salsa cuts the richness of tahini & salmon. I probably won't repeat; just because D did not care for it. Otherwise, I'd be curious how this would work with other fish.

  • mamacrumbcake on October 14, 2020

    This is good but not as good as the salmon with poblano cream and spinach. I used a good roasted tomatillo and hatch chile salsa—it made this a manageable weeknight dinner. We had steamed potatoes instead of peas because my husband does not like peas. The sauce is very nice with potatoes.

• Pork tenderloin a la Mexicana (Puerco a la Mexicana)

  • aeader on December 20, 2020

    We liked this but didn't love it. The flavors were pretty mild, although I did only use water for the liquid as I realized too late that I didn't have broth or Worcestershire sauce. My pork tenderloin was a little larger than called for so I browned the meat in two batches. The 12" skillet was just barely large enough at the end when all the ingredients were in it together. This took a little too long for a weeknight for us. Would probably make again using broth and upping the seasonings.

  • mamacrumbcake on March 17, 2016

    This was very nice. It came together pretty quickly--even including roasting the poblanos. It's a fairly low-fat dish too so if you are watching your diet, this is satisfying and flavorful, without being rich or heavy. In the future, I might add one or two additional poblanos because I like the flavor. Side note: our local grocery stores label fresh poblanos as "pasilla" chiles. I did a little research and learned this is quite common in the US.

• Grilled chicken salad with rustic guacamole, romaine and queso añejo (Ensalada de pollo a la parilla con guacamole rústico, lechuga orejona y queso añejo)

  • aileent1 on June 24, 2012

    I wouldn't make this again. The grilled onions didn't seem to fit very well, even though I love them, and the dressing was definitely missing something and far too sour if made as directed (I cut down on the lime juice and it was too sour.)

• Tangy avocado dressing (Aderezo de aguacate)

  • hirsheys on September 18, 2021

    This was tasty on green beans, though nothing really remarkable.

  • mgwalter on January 10, 2016

    Thought this was good, easy to make and a nice change to my usual oil/vinegar dressings. I did add some vinegar at the end; wasn't sharp enough when I tested it and was easier to reach for vinegar vs. squeeze more lime juice.

• Seafood salad tacos with tomato, radish and habanero (Tacos de mariscos a la vinagreta)

  • chawkins on June 16, 2019

    Great summer fare, light, refreshing with minimal preparation. I halved the amount of shrimp, intending to make only half of the recipe. However, my mind was elsewhere when I started prepping the veggies for the salad and chopped the amount for a whole recipe. Luckily, I caught myself before adding the shrimp, the avocado (my own addition) and the lime juice, so I simply saved half of the chopped veggie for another round tomorrow with pacific rock fish rather than shrimp.

• Slow-cooked achiote pork (Cochinita pibil)

  • JKDLady on April 30, 2014

    I preferred to serve black beans with this instead of rice.

  • MmeFleiss on October 01, 2017

    I served this at a party, doubling everything. I cooked for the same amount of time, but next time I will add another hour. A huge hit for so little effort.

• Chicken in tangy escabeche of caramelized onions, carrots and jalapeños (Pollo en escabeche de cebollas caramelizadas, zanahorias y jalapeños)

  • minerva on December 17, 2013

    I will probably use boneless chicken for convenience next time, this took longer to cook than stated. Otherwise delicious.

  • dinnermints on August 07, 2023

    I was initially going to put “tasty but not worth repeating,” but then we had it for leftovers and it really was delicious. I doubled the recipe, used 2 packages Costco boneless skinless chicken breasts, started marinating them at noon in 2 t ground black pepper, 1 t allspice, 4 t Mexican oregano, 2 t salt and 2 T olive oil. I found the breasts needed to be seared on high, not medium as indicated by the recipe. I think I seared them in 1 T oil and added another T oil for the sliced onions and carrots. The pan definitely needed to be deglazed after the chicken. Once the chicken was done, I chopped it into chunks, reduced the veggie mixture a bit, then added the chicken back in. Very flavorful.

  • heatherlee on February 18, 2019

    I used boneless chicken breasts. This was very piquant with the vinegar and pickled jalapeños. I did like the allspice (not something I use often). Next time I will use less vinegar to suit my family members.

• Lentil-rice salad with ham, cucumber, red onion and herbs (Ensalada de lentejas y arroz con jamón, pepino, cebolla morada y hierbas)

  • minerva on November 13, 2014

    Made this with bacon and substituted creamy queso anejo dressing. As a single lunch dish, it only served 3.

• Jicama salad with watercress, romaine and lime-cilantro dressing (Ensalada de jícama con berros, cilantro, lechuga orejona y limón)

  • minerva on November 02, 2013

    Pretty big flavor, jicama cuts the spicy well.

  • ellwell on June 20, 2023

    This was a good salad. My jicama was moldy so I went with the cucumber option. Added shaved radish for more crunch, some leftover avocado, some toasted pumpkin seeds, and some burrata that needed to be used up. It was pretty spicy so I added some mandarins to balance. All the additions were nice and I am anxious to try again when I find a decent jicama. The dressing was spicy and needs something sweet to bring it down a little, but it is good. I used olive oil as someone else suggested and it didnt seem too oily for us.

• Lime-cilantro dressing (Aderezo de limón)

  • jjankows on February 23, 2015

    We didn't particularly care for this dressing, but I think it'd be much better to omit the vegetable oil and go with 100% olive oil. The vegetable oil made it a bit too oily for our taste.

• Seared salmon with spinach and creamy roasted peppers (Salmón con espinacas en crema verde)

  • mamacrumbcake on July 10, 2020

    Really good! The spinach in poblano cream sauce is evocative of a lighter, saucier creamed spinach, Mexican style. Rick Bayless suggests serving with roasted potatoes, and it is indeed very nice with them. The sauce needs about ¾ teaspoon of salt to bring out the flavors. Without sufficient salt, it tastes flat and bland. I prepped the sauce and the spinach after lunch because I had a 5 pm meeting. With those components done, this was a very quick dinner to put together. I think the leftover potatoes and sauce would make very nice tacos. In fact, I can see myself making just potatoes and sauce for vegetarian tacos. This sauce would also be nice with chicken or pork tenderloin.

• Trout with macadamias, serrano and green beans (Trucha con macadamias, chile serrano y ejotes)

  • mamacrumbcake on August 14, 2020

    This was very nice, served with a simple rice pilaf. It is not difficult to make and once everything is prepped, it goes very quickly. It has a nice, bright flavor, but not overly acidic (which I was afraid of). The vegetable and macadamia mixture, when combined with the rice is very enjoyable. I love the green beans with rice!

• Roasted fresh chile salsa (Salsa de chile fresco asado)

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Extremely hot as written.

• Green bean salad with red onion and salsa dressing (Ensalada de ejotes con cebolla morada y aderezo sabor a salsa)

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Excellent recipe. Crowd pleaser at summer parties.

• Tomatillo-sauced enchiladas with spinach and mushrooms (Enchiladas verdes de espinacas y hongos)

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Excellent!

• Guajillo-spiced pork and potatoes (Puerco y papas al guajillo)

  • averythingcooks on September 14, 2020

    I made a 1/2 recipe of this using just over a pound of cubed pork shoulder, a mix of guajillo & ancho peppers and a small can of mild Rotel tomatoes. I also used Yukon gold potatoes & ended up using a smaller amount as I was watching them pile onto the pork in my Dutch oven (for the 300 degree oven braise method). When it came of the oven, I gave it a good stir with a fork to break up the meat & potatoes and we ultimately used it a taco filling (with pickled onions, hot peppers, corn relish, lime crema, grated cheese etc). We both agreed that it was good but not better than the SFAH beer/chile braised pork that I usually make for tacos.

  • Cochise on November 30, 2019

    WOW. What a fantastic depth of flavour for not much work. I used half ancho and half guajillo, and it was a great balance of heat and earthiness. Will definately cook again.

  • ashallen on October 10, 2019

    Perfect recipe for the slow cooker. Potatoes were succulent (I had to restrain myself from fishing out just the potatoes and eating them immediately!) and pork was perfectly cooked - fully tender and all fat/membrane bits fully rendered. Chili sauce is deeply earthy with just a bit of sweetness from the tomatoes. Given the meaty/earthy intensity of the dish, I've liked it best when paired with light, fresh and acidic things. Used Yukon Gold potatoes, well-trimmed Boston butt pork, all ancho chilies (I like their sweetness), fire-roasted tomatoes and Mexican oregano.

• Mexican shortbread cookies (Polvorones Mexicanos)

  • averythingcooks on November 06, 2023

    I make a lot of different shortbreads and sadly this one was not overly successful. The dough was VERY dry & the only way to even remotely bring it together was to wet my hands with heavy cream. I was then able to roll it out as instructed but it certainly wanted to fall apart as I was cutting/transferring the chilled cookies to the baking sheet. I went with the option of sprinkling the warm cookies with cinnamon sugar and honestly - they absolutely needed that hit of sugar.

• Creamy corn soup with chicken [or ham] and poblano chile (Crema de elote con pollo y poblano)

  • angrygreycat on November 11, 2018

    I don't own this book, I borrowed it from the library. Made this for a Sunday Dinner with a Mexican American theme. I used a larger sized mesh colander for separating the corn skins from the puree. I think a fine mesh strainer would be pretty time consuming. Made with chicken, not ham. Lovely velvety textured soup.

  • chezlarios on October 13, 2023

    The flavors were good, if rather simple, but I was a little taken aback by how much milk was in the recipe - I think it has to do with the fact that the book is from 2005, it's a rather dated concept nowadays, to use only milk! I used canned corn and also didn't bother with straining the corn and it was perfectly fine.

• Grilled pork adobado with smoky roasted sweet potatoes and guajillo salsa (Puerco adobado a la parilla con camote y salsa de chile guajillo)

  • heatherlee on July 30, 2019

    This yielded a lot of marinade - much more than I needed. Next time I will make half the amount of marinade and prepare it the night before to reduce my prep time for an after-work meal.

• Roasted poblano-potato salad with flaked tuna (Ensalada de rajas, papas y atún)

  • Acarroll on February 10, 2022

    This tasted very good. I love that the potatoes were microwaved! Flavors went together very well.