• nomadchowwoman on January 09, 2010

  Love this cookbook. Can't go to Bayless's restaurant(s) nearly as often as I'd like, but with this book, I can create some of his dishes at home. Great recipes for creamy braised chard, potato, and poblano tacos and fresh coconut pie (absolutely worth the effort).

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Essential roasted tomato-jalapeno salsa from the stone mortar (Salsa de molcajete)

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    Roasting is good option when all you have available are winter hothouse tomatoes. Even with less than stellar tomatoes, this salsa had a rich, nuanced flavor, and I much prefer roasted jalapeños over raw. The roasted ingredients are easily ground with a stone mortar and pestle.

• Essential chopped tomato-serrano salsa (Salsa Mexicana clásica)

  • sturlington on July 10, 2013

    P25. Classic salsa. Besides the usual uses, it can be used to top pasta or mix with potato salad.

  • BethNH on July 15, 2018

    Delicious fresh tasting salsa. Subbed three jalapenos for the serrano. Omitted garlic because I don't care for garlic in salsa. Although one of our jalapenos was bright red the salsa had no heat. I don't know if we needed more jalapenos or our homegrown ones just aren't hot.

• Essential chopped tomato-habanero salsa (Xnipec)

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    This is a refreshing, bright and spicy salsa. Habañeros have a beautiful sunny, floral flavor beneath the heat, and that works really well for a fresh salsa. Even made with winter tomatoes, the other ingredients helped this salsa shine. Bayless's suggestion for taking the seeds out the tomatoes is a good one; it makes for a much cleaner, more attractive salsa.

  • Zosia on May 05, 2020

    I really enjoyed the freshness and crunch of this salsa. I used the recommended substitutes of lime juice and jalapenos for sour orange juice and habeneros respectively.

• Essential simmered tomato-habanero sauce (Tomate frito)

  • okcook on September 03, 2014

    Amazing. The chill perfumes the sauce without too much heat.

• Essential quick-cooked tomato-chipotle sauce (Salsa de chile chipotle y jitomate)

  • sarahawker on January 10, 2016

    Made to serve with tamales, very good but strong, a little goes a long way. Husband loved it.

  • mamacrumbcake on October 14, 2016

    I make this every Tuesday for our family's Taco Night. I love it--it is delicious. Making it so often, I've noticed that it's never exactly the same from one week to the next, but it's always good. Some things I've learned: (1) chipotles vary in spiciness. Our family never needs more than 2 chipotles. I only blend in 1 chipotle at first and then I taste. If it needs more, I will add a half chipotle and taste again. You get the idea: use the amount that tastes good to you. Dried and canned chipotles are equally as good (2) tomatoes: using what's readily available at the grocery store, I've been happiest with a mix of half Roma and half Campari tomatoes. (3) my sauce thickens in less time than the recipe specifies--about 3 minutes. (4) 1/2 teaspoon salt is just right and makes a big difference in the taste of the sauce.

• Essential simmered tomatillo-serrano sauce (Salsa verde cocida)

  • Rutabaga on November 27, 2014

    To get the most flavor possible, really let your tomatillos and peppers blister and soften, and give the onions and garlic enough time in the pan to darken and wilt. This sauce had a much richer, smokier flavor than the ones from the grocery store, and was much thicker (although you can vary the thickness by letting it reduce to your liking). While not indexed on Eat Your Books, there is a terrific recipe for Mexican scalloped potatoes in the "simple ideas from my American home" section that follows the tomatillo sauce recipe. Layering thinly sliced potatoes, cream, tomatillo sauce, and cheese make a decadent side dish. The tomatillo sauce can be quite spicy, depending on the strength of your peppers, but in the scalloped potato dish the spice is well balanced by the gentle creaminess of the other ingredients. Definitely one to make again, although in my case I think 40 minutes of baking time would have been better than 30.

  • amandabeck on August 15, 2024

    Really tasty salsa verde -- does not compare to the jarred stuff.

• Essential roasted tomatillo-chipotle salsa (Salsa de chile chipotle y tomate verde)

  • Rutabaga on March 16, 2015

    This salsa is very easy to make, just allow for time for the tomatillos to roast and the chipotles to rehydrate if you are using dried. My salsa ended up being a thick puree with a particularly strong smoky flavor (I think I may have come close to burning the dried chipotles while toasting them). It was pleasantly spicy, but not overwhelmingly so, and pairs very well with other salsas, guacamole, etc.

  • thekitchenchronicles on August 28, 2015

    I really liked this recipe - super easy to throw together (especially if you use canned chipotles) and very smoky. Will definitely use this again when having guests over. Wrote it up on my blog: http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2015/08/28/roasted-tomatillo-chipotle-salsa/

  • tekobo on November 16, 2021

    Rich, dark salsa with some heat. Worth the time to make this.

• Essential sweet-and-spicy ancho seasoning paste (Adobo de chile ancho)

  • boccemansd on February 03, 2012

    Amazing base for excellent chili!

  • KissTheCook on October 27, 2016

    Yes, makes a perfect chili (p. 49; doesn't seem to be indexed)... too spicy for my husband, but right up my alley. Texas-style.

  • mcvl on March 24, 2023

    Mmmm. To help with glucoregulation, I have beans for breakfast every day. (There's actual gold-standard research supporting this idea, unlike other nutritional doctrines, which rely on observational studies.) A dollop of Rick's seasoning paste and a dollop of crema make bean breakfast a treat instead of a chore.

• Essential simmered guajillo sauce (Salsa de chile guajillo)

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    I love this sauce. It might not be meant to be a "salsa" for dipping, but it's great with chips, on tacos, meats, vegetables - anything, really. Make it ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a week of drizzling on tacos, enchiladas, and more. It's not spicy, but has a fruity, yet unctuous, flavor and super smooth mouthfeel. Updated to add: I made the veggie tacos Bayless suggests after the recipe as one use for the sauce - a mix of potatoes (I used whole baby potatoes), carrots, onion, and mushrooms (shiitakes are recommended). This was a wonderful use for the sauce, and the tacos are great topped with cotija and cilantro. Add some hot sauce if you like it spicy.

  • HazukaPie on March 17, 2016

    This is a delicious base to enchiladas and spread over tamales. Not so hot on it as a meat side - little too flat for that. After trying in many different dishes, I'd recommend pairing with a corn something or other...

  • zorra on January 12, 2018

    Never mind tacos or enchiladas. Can I just eat this with a spoon?

• Essential garlicky achiote seasoning paste (Adobo de achiote)

  • swiand on October 05, 2025

    This recipe was useful as the additives in store bought achiote paste are too much for us. We added lime juice instead of water. Very tasty.

• Corn tortillas (Tortillas de maiz)

  • milgwimper on November 17, 2015

    Made these and they were good. I could only find the Quaker Masa harina, and I couldn't get most of them to puff except a few.

  • metacritic on January 09, 2022

    I made these with fresh masa from the masa factory that opened 15 minutes away from me, a pretty phenomenal occurence. Getting them from press to the stovetop was a much greater challenge than i had anticipated. I first used wax paper and pressed them, flipping them once, and pressed again, but they stuck fiercely to the paper. I next pressed them only once, could get the top layer off, but not the bottom without tearing them. Ultimately, I read around the internet, and here's what worked: I used a cheap plastic bag from the grocery store (the bags you put produce into). That made a huge difference. I pressed them only once, not twice, and without much force. They were thicker but finally they worked. And the flavor difference from even the factory-made tortillas was enormous. What a treat. What a boost to the tacos.

• Guacamole

  • anya_sf on May 06, 2024

    Fairly traditional and very tasty, with more tomato salsa stirred in than I'd normally use. I appreciated the tip to prepare the salsa ahead of time, so the guacamole could be finished very quickly just before serving.

• Tomatillo-green guacamole (Guacamole de tomate verde)

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    I made this to go with the herby ricotta-poblano tacos, but it's great accompaniment for almost any taco, or just alone on chips. As someone who loves chunky guacamole, I don't always go for the smoother variations with a lot of additional ingredients (like sour cream), but the roasted tomatillos were a great compliment to the avocados. Leave some streaks of avocado whole for the occasional hit of pure avocado flavor.

  • thekitchenchronicles on January 27, 2015

    This has become my go-to guacamole recipe, and everyone who comes over and eats it can't get enough. It's a riff on a classic, but not too different that it makes guacamole, which is fantastic as-is, unrecognizable. Reviewed it here: http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2015/01/26/tomatillo-guacamole/

• Rustic jicama appetizer with red chile and lime (Entremés de jicama)

  • radishseed on January 05, 2012

    I would make this a little easier to eat by cutting the jícama (and other ingredients) into bite-sized pieces or thinner slices.

  • Rutabaga on January 12, 2015

    As radishseed suggested, I made this into a salad by chopping all the ingredients into about half inch pieces. I used grapefruit instead of oranges, and while I liked the inclusion of grapefruit, I think it would be best with oranges, too, for some sweetness. Avocado, pineapple, or watermelon would also be perfect additions to this mix. For chile powder, I used some ground powder I had made from a mix of different whole dried chiles, which I think has more nuance than most prepackaged chile powders.

  • Zosia on May 17, 2018

    Incredibly refreshing and a hit whenever I serve it. It's worth it to use a mandoline for thin slices that make it easier to enjoy.

• Ripe plantain turnovers with fresh cheese filling (Empanadas de platano)

  • thekitchenchronicles on August 25, 2015

    I'm in love with this recipe. Really not time consuming at all (especially for an empanada) and just so tasty. I think my plantains may not have been ripe enough (or I didn't bake them for long enough?) so I had to add a little water to the food processor. Worked out totally fine and saved the day. Wrote this up here: http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2015/08/25/plantain-empanadas-with-fresh-cheese-filling-empanadas-de-platano/

• Sweet pickled chipotles (Chipotles en escabeche)

  • Rutabaga on January 03, 2015

    These pickled chipotles pack a lot of flavor - spicy, smoky, sour, and a little sweet. For those who like heat, you can eat them straight out of the jar. I chopped some and added it to roasted garlic chicken soup for a great kick. The onions and garlic aren't as spicy, and can be used in so many ways; tonight, I chopped some and added them to a salad of leafy greens along with pumpkin seeds, cotija, and a lime dressing. Use a little of everything to make a fabulous chipotle burger (meat or veggie).

• Corn-masa crepas with Mexican flavors (Crepas a la Mexicana)

  • Breadcrumbs on November 24, 2010

    p. 110 - Note this recipe is NOT easy to find in the book's index

• Chilied tortilla soup with shredded chard (Sopa de tortilla y acelgas)

  • Aggie92 on May 02, 2013

    This is a recipe with a ton of potential, but needs some work to be a 5 star tortilla soup. The soup was flat tasting even with homemade chicken broth and salt. I had to add the juice of one lime and a couple of teaspoons each of dried Mexican oregano and ground cumin to improve the flavor. The recipe calls for 6 pasilla chiles, but only 2 go into the soup and the remaining are used as garnish. Next time I will use all of them in the soup. I also added the meat from 5 poached chicken thighs and substituted queso fresco for the Monterey Jack.

• Mexican-style sweet roasted garlic soup (Sopa de ajo, estilo Mexicano)

  • Rutabaga on January 03, 2015

    This is an incredibly versatile soup base. I made the recipe through step two (basically roasting the garlic in olive oil, then cooking it in chicken stock), then added leftover shredded tomatillo chicken and chopped roasted poblano peppers. I left out the eggs and didn't make the croutons. Just the stock with the garlic was deeply infused with its sweet, mellow essence. Add any veggies, meat, or fresh topping according to season, and you'll have a wonderful light meal. Plus, you'll have extra garlic oil to use.

  • thekitchenchronicles on February 05, 2015

    I adore this soup - it's super simple to make, it's flexible depending on what you have on hand, and the garlic croutons are to die for. I'm not generally a big soup eater because I find it boring but this is a definite exception. Review here: http://www.thekitchenchronicles.com/2015/02/05/mexican-style-sweet-roasted-garlic-soup-sopa-de-ajo-estilo-mexicano/

• Mushroom-cactus soup (Sopa de hongos y nopales)

  • radishseed on October 07, 2011

    Next time, I would make this with twice as many mushrooms and half as much cactus (and cut the cactus into smaller pieces). If I used button mushrooms again, I'd try sautéing them in the oil to enhance their flavor, and then adding the soup puree. As the soup stock is very good, I'd like to try the potato variation, too.

• Oaxacan black bean soup (Sopa de frijoles negros)

  • zorra on January 12, 2018

    Five ingredients deliver so much flavor in this soup. Found dried avocado leaves in a Mexican grocery. Never sold fresh here, I was told, & they do match what Bayless pictures on his website. (EYB lists fennel as an ingredient--it's  the alternate.) Normally I make vegetarian black bean soup, so had to resist slipping in the usual spices & herbs, but they really aren't needed. Used hot chorizo & all the recommended garnishes, plus 1.5 cups reserved whole beans.

  • twoyolks on January 29, 2018

    I really liked the addition of the avocado leaves to the soup. The flavor of the chorizo was mild and I would've liked a bit more of that flavor to stand out. The soup was very filling.

• Golden squash blossom crema (Crema de flores de calabaza)

  • JKDLady on August 26, 2015

    I did not add the thick cream and did not think it needed it. I will save a few calories when I can! I did add sliced spinach (one of the variations) to the original recipe and liked the colors. I will definitely make this again when I can find zucchini blossoms.

• Tacos of tomatillo chicken with wilted greens and fresh cheese (Tacos de pollo en salsa verde)

  • sturlington on May 23, 2013

    P146. Can be made with cooked chicken breast. Other sauces can substitute and can be made ahead.

  • twoyolks on October 13, 2014

    I wanted to like this more than I did. I only used one serrano pepper and it was still very spicy. The sauce at the end was very soupy.

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    We really enjoyed this taco filling; my husband even said he liked it just as much as the shredded chpiotle pork filling - high praise, indeed! It wasn't too spicy, but I did remove all the seeds and ribs from the serranos. I followed Bayless's method for poaching the chicken found on page 181 in the book. Since the chicken was only barely done, I shredded it and added it to the tomatillo sauce to cook further. I made it a few days in advance, so refrigerated the chicken in the sauce, then added the chard when I heated it back up in the slow cooker.

  • Zosia on April 15, 2016

    Very tasty and makes for a quick weeknight meal if the salsa is made in advance. It's a delicious end use for leftover cooked chicken as well.

• Spicy Yucatecan beef "salad" tacos (Tacos de dzik)

  • jenburkholder on January 15, 2026

    This was a very tasty and fresh taco filling, exactly what I was looking for. Included the banana leaves and wouldn’t recommend omitting, as their flavor was definitely present. Ate with a smear of guacamole and beans.

• Smoky shredded pork tacos (Tacos de picadillo Oaxaqueño)

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    Delicious! As someone who doesn't often cook pork, I was impressed by how easy it is to boil the meat in salted water and have succulent, tender, shreddable pork as a result (not to mention pork stock to use in other dishes). The chipotle sauce is fantastic. It's quite spicy on its own, but when mixed when the pork it's not overwhelming. The raisins add the perfect amount of sweetness and just disappear into the dish. I left out the almonds to accommodate someone's food allergy, and while I'm sure they will be a good addition for next time, I didn't find the dish at all lacking.

  • nicolepellegrini on June 02, 2017

    I made the "Shredded Pork Enchiladas" variation on this recipe. Well, first off this is a momma's-in-the-kitchen-all-day kind of recipe, if you haven't made some of the components of the dish already. First boiling the pork so it's cooked and shredded. Then making the chipotle sauce. Then making the picadillo with the meat and sauce (don't forget to toast those nuts!) Then putting it all together and baking until melty and finished. Was it good? Oh, yes, VERY good. The meat filling in particular was addictively good. But it was also exhausting, sort of like making a from-scratch lasagna, so not something I'm going to be making every night—or really any time I'm not motivated to spend most of an afternoon cooking.

  • Rutabaga on December 04, 2017

    I used this method for cooking the pork as the basis for a chili. For this purpose, I cooked a large batch of pork and used the resulting "stock" to cook two pounds of dried cannellini beans. I used canned fire roasted tomatoes for the sauce, and also added some star anise, cinnamon sticks, and whole allspice while it simmered, and grated in some piloncillo sugar for a subtle sweetness. To finish the chili, I stirred the chipotle tomato sauce into the pork and beans, and also added some leftover fragrant spice mix from the Persian love rice recipe found in Nopi. All in all, it was a really satisfying chili with some great flavor undertones from the various spices.

• Tacos of creamy braised chard, potatoes and poblanos (Tacos de acelgas guisadas con crema)

  • gigirowe on June 15, 2010

    Very good

  • Vanessa on May 22, 2011

    This recipe rocks. I made it with toscano kale (which needed a bit more cooking). It was awesome. The teenage boys weren't fans, though. That was good - more for me!

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    These tacos are so wonderful and homey, just perfect for a winter comfort dish. I used chard. The flavors all melded seamlessly when cooked in the crema, and the baby red potatoes were perfectly tender and well seasoned from cooking in the chicken stock. Like magic, real Mexican crema brings it all together. It also comes together very quickly if you make the rajas and wash and chop the chard ahead of time.

• Herby ricotta-poblano tacos (Tacos de requesón y chile poblano)

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    I enjoyed this taco filling, but it wasn't a stand out like the other three I made from this book. I used homemade ricotta that was unfortunately a little dry and rubbery, but stirring in some crema fixed that issue handily. The flavor is mild, but can be easily spiced up with hot sauce. Since it can be made ahead, it's also convenient, and leftovers make for a nice breakfast. Eating it with the tomatillo guacamole, as suggested, makes these tacos rich and filling. You could easily use the cheese as a spread for bread or crackers, or toss it with some pasta and vegetables for something different.

• Crispy black bean-bacon tacos with tangy romaine salad (Taquitos de frijol y tocino con ensalada)

  • Rutabaga on February 09, 2015

    Looking for a creative way to use up the remaining cilantro lime sour cream from making fried avocado tacos, I found this recipe, then altered it to use ingredients I already had on hand: cannellini instead of black beans, turkey bacon, and pickled chipotles. The bean/bacon combo is a good one in any iteration. The pickled chipotle made them pretty spicy, so be cautious if you want something that isn't too hot. I only made six tacos, but used nearly all the filling. The cilantro lime sour cream was a good topping for the tacos and dressing for the accompanying salad, but plain crema with a hint of lime would also work well here, and would pair ideally when black beans are used. While the recipe instructs you to soften the tortilla in oil, I softened mine in a dry hot skillet, then fried them after they were filled. If you do it this way, I imagine you could set aside the pre-formed tacos the night before, then fry them right before serving.

  • Zosia on May 19, 2016

    We really enjoyed this. The bacon-bean filling was delicious and the vinegary salad helped cut the richness and tempered the heat of it nicely. I used the suggested shortcut and served it in steamed tortillas with some salsa.

• Achiote-roasted pork tacos with pickled red onions (Tacos de cochinita pibil)

  • sarahawker on May 31, 2021

    Could not find anything but a sazon w/ achiote - adjusted the recipe for salt and used anyway. Wonderful, very tasty "wet" taco. Served with the Milk Street "best beans", guac and sazon rice. Absolutely will make again when I can source the achiote.

  • jenburkholder on December 23, 2022

    Devoured by the family. Made with a recado from the freezer (Mi Cocina, just a couple tablespoons) and some sour oranges that were surprisingly available, for once. Excellent taco, even if it maybe needed a bit more moisture (i.e. salsa).

• Simple red mole enchiladas with shredded chicken (Enchiladas de mole rojo)

  • radishseed on March 28, 2011

    I made a vegetarian version using onions and roasted root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, beets, and sunchokes) for the filling.

  • twoyolks on July 17, 2014

    The mole was good but I would've preferred a stronger chile flavor in it.

  • zorra on November 07, 2017

    This "simple" mole actually has 17 ingredients, apart from the tortillas & chicken it is served with. We thought it was worth every bit of effort to make the delicious sauce.

  • imaluckyducky on March 22, 2020

    5 stars! Definitely not quick, but is definitely easy and worth the effort. For a more pronounced chile flavor, use a mix of ancho, mulatto, and pasilla chilies and add more to taste. Didn't have plum tomatoes to hand because it's winter, but a can of diced tomatoes worked just fine. Had to add more sugar to taste than I thought. Do yourself a favor and make a double batch and freeze containers for a rainy day!

  • amandabeck on December 30, 2023

    I didn't love this--made for a dinner party but assembled the enchiladas ahead of time, and they got dried out. The mole was tasty but the mole + enchiladas just didn't work for me.

• Poached chicken

  • Rutabaga on January 03, 2015

    This method worked very well for cooking chicken for the tomatillo chicken taco recipe, but since my chicken was close to five pounds, I probably should have added an additional 10 minutes to the cooking time. As a bonus, you end up with a decent chicken stock to use for other recipes. I'm not sure why the ingredients list "cooked chicken meat", as you should start with one whole raw, not cooked, chicken.

  • anya_sf on May 06, 2024

    I poached 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the Chicken in Simple Red Mole recipe (apparently, stores no longer sell chicken breasts with skin and bones). Simmered very gently for 13 minutes as directed, then let sit in the broth for about 20 minutes more, the chicken was just barely done (OK, since it was going to be reheated in the mole). Good and easy, but I can't see how the timing would work for bone-in, skin-on chicken.

• Puffed black bean-masa cakes with smoky chipotle (Gorditas infladas de frijol con salsa negra)

  • twoyolks on January 07, 2018

    These are pretty close to tortilla chips with black beans added. I didn't have enough chipotle chiles so I used a variety including chipotle, guajillo, and pasilla. The salsa wasn't particularly hot but was smoky and sweet and just a touch bitter. The gorditas were really good with some guacamole on them. I found the cheese to be superfluous.

• Oval masa cakes with black bean filling (Tlacoyos)

  • twoyolks on May 24, 2018

    The instructions did not make these easy. It was hard to get the filling wrapped up in the masa cake. And then it was also hard to cook them.

• Oaxacan griddle-baked turnovers of yellow mole (Empanadas de mole amarillo)

  • sarahawker on January 10, 2016

    Made this mole to fill tamales for Christmas dinner. I loved it, guests were pretty indifferent.

  • twoyolks on January 25, 2018

    I made these as tacos instead of empanadas. The flavor of the mole was fine but it seemed a bit bland mixed up with the chicken. Adding a bit of queso fresco was a nice addition to the tacos.

• Guajillo chilaquiles with thick cream, aged cheese and white onion (Chilaquiles al guajillo)

  • Rutabaga on February 03, 2018

    I really like these chilaquiles, although my husband felt ambivalent. But he acknowledged that his taste may be off since he has a cold. The guajillo flavor is the focus here, and mine were perhaps a tad burnt, although I still found the flavor delicious. The sauce doesn't have the depth of flavor you get with a mole, but it is much simpler to make, so that's be expected. We included shredded chicken as a topping to make it a filling main dish.

• Black bean chilaquiles with smoky chipotle (Chilaquiles de frijol negro)

  • abettino on October 23, 2011

    We liked this recipe but not as much as the other Chilaquiles in Rick Bayless's books.

• Layered pasilla-tortilla casserole with black beans and thick cream (Budin al pasilla)

  • thekitchenchronicles on March 03, 2013

    I used dried New Mexico chiles instead of pasilla. The dish was tasty but it took a lot of work (and dishes) to make the components (sauce and beans), and I don't think the result justified the effort.

  • mcvl on April 27, 2018

    Yes, authentic Mexican cooking is a lot of work ... but so worth it! Because I always prefer rough textures to smooth ones, I didn't sieve the sauce, I used raw chopped onions instead of cooked ones, and I didn't mash the beans, so slightly less work for me than in the original recipe.

• Seared zucchini with roasted tomato, chipotle ad chorizo (Tinga de calabacitas)

  • radishseed on September 23, 2012

    This made a nice burrito filling. I think it could be awesome in the winter with sweet potatoes swapped for the zucchini.

  • mcvl on January 21, 2015

    Easier to cook the chorizo in its casings, then cut it into bite-sized pieces. A wonderful recipe.

• Smoky braised Mexican pumpkin with seared white onion (Calabaza guisada al chipotle)

  • rchewing on October 31, 2023

    A good basic dish but would be better with the pumpkin pre-roasted to get some of the moisture out, as the final result was a bit wet.

• Crusty chayote casserole with poblanos, corn and two cheeses (Chayote con rajas e elote)

  • Vanessa on December 11, 2011

    I make this with potatoes not chayote, and with canned green peppers. It absolutely rocks. Great for vegetarians and those on hyperthyroid diets, too (they can pick off the cheese if necessary.)

• Chile-glazed sweet potatoes with cinnamon and orange (Camote adobado)

  • evergreengirl on December 11, 2013

    Simply wonderful! Skipped the honey (didn't need it - it was sweet already, plus was on a sweet potato), and cooked potatoes in microwave while cooking down sauce, then combined and broiled. Had depth and complexity, without being too loud. A household favorite.

• Classic Mexican "pot" beans (Frijoles de la olla)

  • DianeKirkland on February 15, 2011

    I once made these as a recipe ingredient and never got past the beans -- I ate them all before I could use them. They are delicious and healthy! Yum.

• Classic Mexican fried beans with onions and garlic (Frijole refritos)

  • Rutabaga on March 16, 2015

    This is what you would expect for basic "refried" beans. I used canned pintos and lard. They're tasty, but any leftover bits in the pan turn hard and crusty if you don't put them away promptly.

  • clkandel on July 21, 2019

    So much tastier than typical "refried" beans. Made this with black beans as a side to fajitas. Also added some chopped cilantro and minced lemon pepper.

  • kkmatti on February 11, 2024

    Solid refried bean recipe. I used pinto beans for this.

• "Drunken" pintos with cilantro and bacon (Frijoles borrachos)

  • Jostlori on October 20, 2017

    Love these beans, and everyone always asks me to make them whenever we have a Mexican feast! Sometimes when pressed for time I take a shortcut and used canned beans... still great!!!

  • mcvl on March 17, 2022

    Yummy. Neither of my local markets had any cilantro, so I had to miss that, and I'm sure it was a loss. I ask you, what is the point of living in Southern California if nobody has any cilantro?

• Runner beans in brick-red mole (Ayocotes en coloradito)

  • stepharama1 on January 30, 2023

    I riffed on this because I didn't have the specific peppers on hand that the recipe specified. I used a mix of mulatto, guajillo, pasilla negro and cascabel (trying to use up odds and ends) and substituted cocoa for the chocolate. Everyone loved the beans. They were very flavorful. I'd like to try this again using the exact chiles specified.

  • dinnermints on March 06, 2023

    This was SO GOOD, but extremely time intensive. Next time would try making this in phases. Would use a 12 inch skillet for browning onions - really like the method of lining it with foil for easier clean up. With the vitamix, not sure it was necessary to sieve the tomato/onion mixture, or even the chiles. Made with lime cilantro brown rice, but it seemed to beg for tortillas. Would love to try this with chicken, and might be worth making a batch sans protein & freezing it.

• Classic red tomato rice (Arroz a la Mexicana)

  • anya_sf on May 06, 2024

    A fair amount of work for a rice dish, with lots of dirty dishes, but quite delicious. I removed the jalapeno seeds so it wasn't spicy. I could see making this with 2 cups store-bought salsa - not as good, I'm sure, but a lot less work.

• Green poblano rice (Arroz verde al poblano)

  • sarahawker on January 10, 2016

    This tastes complex. I loved it but my guests did not. They don't particularly like vegetables though and the "green" does come through.

  • jenburkholder on November 01, 2021

    This was pretty decent. Mine ended up a little bit undersalted following the recipe, though, which is something to note. The poblano flavor didn't come through as strongly as I would have expected.

  • anya_sf on February 15, 2024

    My cilantro had gone bad, but this was still very good without it. The rice stuck to the bottom of the pan before it was done and I had to add a little more water. Per the variations, I added diced grilled zucchini and roasted corn for a more substantial side dish.

• Black bean rice (Arroz negro)

  • jenburkholder on November 16, 2020

    Very good. I ended up cooking it for about 18 minutes. Used part onion and part shallot, and only half the garlic + a bit of garlic powder due to some ingredient shortages. Still turned out wonderfully - so umami-rich and flavorful. Made a delicious base for a loaded burrito bowl.

• Achiote rice supper with pork carnitas (Arroz amarillo con carnitas)

  • nicolepellegrini on March 15, 2013

    Excellent! Takes some time to prepare but is not difficult. This will be a regular in our household.

  • milgwimper on November 17, 2015

    These are fabulous, and time consuming but well worth the effort.

• Tomato-rice casserole with poblanos and melted cheese (Arroz gratinado)

  • Dcampos on June 29, 2019

    I made the creamy rice casserole with poblanos and corn variation. I used vegan cream cheese instead of the thick cream. Really delicious.

  • michalow on February 12, 2022

    This comes together pretty quickly once the poblanos are roasted -- a step that could easily be done in advance. I served with green beans and some lightly dressed lentils, and it made a delicious and satisfying meal.

• Mexican rice supper with chorizo, zucchini and corn (Arroz con chorizo)

  • twoyolks on September 24, 2015

    This was just bland. None of the flavors were really developed.

• Seared lamb (or pork) in swarthy pasilla-honey sauce (Borrego [a puerco] al pasilla enmielado)

  • radishseed on October 23, 2010

    Substitute eggplant for lamb.

• Almond-thickened veal stew with raisins and olives (Estofado almendrado)

  • radishseed on October 23, 2010

    Substitute swordfish or halibut for veal.

  • eve_kloepper on January 25, 2020

    Just wonderful. Can be prepared completely ahead and reheated. Served with Zatarans Spanish Rice and steamed broccoli. Excellent for company. A keeper.

• Tangerine flan

  • radishseed on April 12, 2011

    The milk curdled (both tries) when I was trying to bring it to a simmer. Proceed with caution.

  • anya_sf on May 06, 2024

    Should have read the other note first. As I read the recipe, I wondered, "Won't the tangerine juice curdle the milk?" Yes, it will. Still, I continued in hopes that the eggs would magically emulsify everything (they didn't). Since I'd come this far, I went ahead and baked the flans. In my oven, they took 8 extra minutes to set. Rather miraculously, they actually unmolded okay (I'd feared a completely separated mess), but unsurprisingly, the texture was noticeably grainy. At least the flavor was great. Would try again, adding the juice *after* the milk is mixed with the eggs.

• Red chile-braised chicken with potatoes and greens (Adobo de pollo, de lujo)

  • thekitchenchronicles on January 12, 2014

    This was a bit of a dud. Don't know where things went wrong but the sauce was very thick and the flavor tasted almost burnt. Not worth the red mess it made all over my kitchen.

• Chicken breasts with poblanos, mushrooms and cream (Pollo a la poblana con hongos)

  • rglo820 on April 24, 2014

    This was absolutely delicious. I used 1/2 t. of dried epazote since I could not find fresh, and because my stove was broken I used chicken escalopes, which I layered in the bottom of a Dutch oven and simmered covered on the stovetop for the same amount of time recommended in the recipe rather than baking them in the oven. The only changes I would make in the future would be to add a serrano or two to the sauce (my peppers were very mild), and use double the mushrooms, and perhaps a meatier variety (I used thinly sliced oyster mushrooms and they didn't stand out much).

  • nicolepellegrini on March 13, 2025

    This was pretty good - I made with baby bella mushrooms I needed to use up and liked the element added by the mushrooms even if it seemed a little odd at first. Only complaint really is that it was fairly time consuming to make with not having the poblano sauce prepared ahead of time.

• Braised turkey in Telolopan red mole (Guajalote en mole Teloloapense)

  • Rutabaga on November 27, 2014

    I had heard making mole was "a lot of work", but until I made this dish, I didn't fully understand the truth of this statement. Around four hours of hands-on work went into this mole, and that doesn't include the simmering or braising time. All in all, plan on around seven hours from start to finish if you make this in one day. Fortunately, it's wonderful make-ahead dish (one that can be made in stages), with versatile ways to use both turkey and sauce as leftovers. And for those who love to cook, it really is fun to make and will give you a depth of flavor that can't be found by taking shortcuts. I used vegetable oil instead of lard, substituted fennel seeds for the avocado leaf/anise, used oregano instead of marjoram, and left out the avocado pit, but otherwise stuck closely to the recipe. Next time, I hope to make the effort to find the ingredients I was missing for this batch, especially lard. That, and a rich chicken stock, would really put this over the top.

  • Rutabaga on December 08, 2014

    I made this recipe again one week later, this time converting it to a chili for a chili party I attended. The mole works great as is for a chili base - I just added cooked pinto beans and shredded chicken from two four-pound roasted chickens (I also made stock from the chicken carcasses after roasting them and used that in the mole). This time I used lard, anise, and marjoram, but still no avocado leaf or pit. I also substituted additional peanuts and pepitas in place of the almonds to accommodate a nut allergy. For toppings, I offered cotija, Mexican crema, and chopped cilantro - all highly recommended. The chile won the "tastiest chili" award at the party, but be warned that it's a full day's work to make it!

  • lorloff on December 11, 2021

    We had a chef from Mexico stay at the house and she brought black mole paste she had made with her. I used that as the base and followed the instructions from this recipe to cook a fresh turkey breast in the Mole. I have made this recipe from scratch in the past with great success. It came out beautifully. I agree with rutabaga making it from scratch is a lot of work but worth it. When you are using mole paste from Mexico it is 200 grams to 750 home made chicken stock. This time I used roasted turkey stock.

• Topolo margarita

  • Rutabaga on January 01, 2015

    I made this recipe using 100% agave silver tequila from Costco, which may not be as good as the Sauza Commemorativo that Bayless suggests. To make it easy for serving, I also stirred the tequila and the Grand Marnier into the limeade before serving them in ice filled glasses. Shaking individual drinks would probably be better; they didn't taste as good as the margaritas I remember making while on vacation in Mexico, but that may just be because the limes in Mexico are so much riper and juicier!

• Spicy mushroom tamales (Tamales de hongos)

  • sarahawker on January 10, 2016

    Loved Loved loved these tamales. Even my mushroom hating husband loved them. The filling would be great with a LOT of things. Made these assembly line style and it went quickly. Even left over these were FANTASTIC!

  • KissTheCook on January 28, 2019

    Tamales section & variations p. 293-310

• Frontera's gold margarita

  • sarahawker on January 10, 2016

    Perfect.

• Chile-seasoned pot-roasted pork (Cochito Chiapaneco)

  • vickster on March 26, 2017

    This dish took me to Mexico! As Bayless says, "the meat will be fork-tender and will have darkened to an appetizing and crusty, rich red-brown." The chile flavor is wonderful. We made tacos with the meat. I can always trust Rick Bayless for a great Mexican dish!

  • twoyolks on March 02, 2026

    I liked this but I really wished there was more chile flavor. It was a lot more subdued than I was hoping for. I used a whole boston butt and there was a lot of liquid when it was done cooking. I might removed the lid for the last hour or so of cooking to help reduce it some if I made it again.

• Smoky shredded chicken and potatoes with roasted tomatoes (Tinga de pollo y papas)

  • rglo820 on January 12, 2018

    The flavors of this are good, but you need a seriously nonstick pan for the potatoes to turn out as intended, and mine was not up to the task, so this wound up being a much more onerous recipe than intended. Plus, without the crunch properly browned potatoes would bring to the table, there wasn't much textural contrast. Not one of my favorites from this book.

  • Zosia on May 17, 2018

    One of my family's favourite dishes. The smoky, tangy sauce isn't very hot but it is flavourful and complements the chicken and potatoes well. Whether I serve the thighs whole or shredded as a taco filling, I generally keep the potato-onion mixture separate so it retains its crisp texture.

• Creamy rice casserole with poblanos and corn

  • KissTheCook on March 04, 2018

    I don't see buttermilk listed in this recipe as alluded to in substitution note.

• Broiled chipotle chicken with creamy spinach (Pollo enchipotlado con crema y espinacas)

  • purrviciouz on March 26, 2018

    I used whipping cream in place of the thick cream and pureed canned chipotle chiles in adobo. I'd definitely make the chicken again but while the creamy spinach sauce was tasty I'll skip that part next time. The chicken would also be great grilled.

• Pickled red onions

  • fprincess on October 28, 2025

    Classic. A bit heavy on the cumin for me. Also made with shallot to good effect.

• Creamy potato-mushroom soup with bacon and cilantro

  • mcvl on April 17, 2020

    Look, I had to do so much substitution (#covidcooking) that what I'm reviewing is in no way the dish Rick intended, but what I got was kind of gloppy and gross.

• Very, very good chili

  • nicolepellegrini on July 25, 2019

    I'd say this was very good, but not very, VERY good. I liked the smokiness from the chiles and roasted garlic and I did add small white beans at the end. Just felt like it could use a little something more to elevate it - whether a longer cooking time or some other spice elements, I'm not sure.

• Ancho broiled salmon

  • nicolepellegrini on July 07, 2020

    Husband really liked this - I thought the marinade was ok but nothing extra special? Gave the salmon a smoky-sweet flavor that at least wasn't overpowering. I broiled for only about 6 minutes total to keep the fish moist and just cooked through so it wouldn't dry out.

• Mexican-flavored bread salad

  • nicolepellegrini on March 06, 2021

    A different twist on bread salad, quite filling, add dressing to your taste so it's not too overpowering.

• Jalapeño-baked fish

  • Zosia on April 24, 2021

    A very quick and tasty dish. I happened to have some of the book's essential tomato-jalapeno salsa in the freezer but this would have been good made with the family's favourite store-bought salsa as well.

• Top-of-the-line margarita

  • anya_sf on May 06, 2024

    Very easy to remember and scale as needed, with a ratio of 1:1:1. Despite an equal part of Cointreau, the margarita was fairly tart, but I didn't mind. Served up, but I ended up adding some ice just to keep it cool.

• Chicken in simple red mole

  • anya_sf on May 06, 2024

    Despite being called "simple", this was definitely an investment in time, pots, and pans. I only had 5 ancho chiles, so supplemented with 3 New Mexico chiles. Surprisingly couldn't find Mexican chocolate, so used semi-sweet with a bit more cinnamon. Used the chicken broth from poaching the chicken and definitely needed the full amount of salt plus 1.5 Tbsp sugar. Shredded the chicken (4 large breasts) into large pieces before reheating in the mole. Had about 2 cups mole leftover, which I will freeze for later. Served with Classic Red Tomato Rice as suggested, my family really enjoyed this, but it would also be good with plain rice.

• Chile-glazed country ribs (Costillas adobadas)

  • kkmatti on September 14, 2024

    These were very lean and chewy. I might just not like country ribs. The chile glaze was very spicy and overtook the flavor of the meat. I would not choose to make this again.

• Dressy black bean soup

  • edougherty on December 16, 2025

    Decent simple recipe, better with lots of cotija crumbled on top