Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine
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Description
Not since his first book, Authentic Mexican, has there been such an accessible opportunity to learn about real Mexican cooking. Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen offers translations of authentic Mexican dishes that preserve their authenticity. The book opens with 14 salsas, sauces, and seasonings that Bayless calls "cornerstones of Mexican dishes." Other than some chile peppers essential to certain dishes, most ingredients are found in any supermarket. For any less common ingredients, a mail-order source or an easy substitution is provided. This brilliant book is engaging, informative, and inspiring.
Book Description
BURSTING WITH BOLD, COMPLEX FLAVORS, Mexican cooking has the kind of gusto we want in food today. Until now, American home cooks have had few authorities to translate the heart of this world-class cuisine to everyday cooking. In this book of more than 150 recipes, award-winning chef, author and teacher Rick bayless provides the inspiration and guidance that home cooks have needed. With a blend of passion, patience, clarity and humor, he unerringly finds his way into the very soul of Mexican cuisine, from essential recipes and explorations of Mexico's many chiles to quick-to-prepare everyday dishes and pull-out-the-stops celebration fare. Bayless begins the journey by introducing us to the building blocks of Mexican cooking. With infectious enthusiasm and an entertaining voice, he outlines 16 essential preparations-deeply flavored tomato sauces and tangy tomatillo salsas, rich chile pastes and indispensable handmade tortillas. Fascinating cultural background and practical cooking tips help readers to understand these preparations and make them their own. Each recipe explains which steps can be completed in advance to make final preparation easier, and each provides a list of the dishes in later chapters that are built around these basics. And with each essential recipe, Bayless includes several "Simple Ideas from My American Home"-quick, familiar recipes with innovative Mexican accents, such as Baked Ham with Yucatecan Flavors, Spicy Chicken Salad, Ancho-Broiled Salmon and Very, Very Good Chili. Throughout, the intrepid Bayless brings chiles into focus, revealing that Mexican cooks use these pods for flavor, richness, color and, yes, sometimes for heat. He details the simple techniques for getting the best out of every chile-from the rich, smoky chipotle to the incendiary but fruity habanero. Then, in more than 135 recipes that follow, Bayless guides us through a wide range of richly flavored regional Mexican dishes, combining down-home appeal and convivial informality with simple culinary elegance. It's all here: starters like Classic Seviche Tostadas or Chorizo-Stuffed Ancho Chiles; soups like Slow-Simmered Fava Bean Soup or Rustic Ranch-Style Soup; casual tortilla-based preparations like Achiote-Roasted Pork Tacos or Street-Style Red Chile Enchiladas; vegetable delights like Smoky Braised Mexican Pumpkin, or Green Poblano Rice; even a whole chapter on classic fiesta food (from Oaxacan Black Mole with Braised Chicken, Smoky Peanut Mole with Grilled Quail and Great Big Tamal Roll with Chard with the incomparable Juchitan-Style Black Bean Tamales); and ending with a selection of luscious desserts like Modern Mexican Chocolate Flan with KahIua and Yucatecan-Style Fresh Coconut Pie. To quickly expand your Mexican repertoire even further, each of these recipes is accompanied by suggestions for variations and improvisations. There is no greater authority on Mexican cooking than Rick Bayless, and no one can teach it better. In his skillful hands, the wonderful flavors of Mexico will enter your kitchen and your daily cooking routine without losing any of their depth or timeless appeal.
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Great place to startTuesday, May 03, 2005
I bought this book after being impressed by Rick's performance on Iron Chef. The book did not disappoint, in fact I use it on a regular basis and it has brought some of our most memorable dinners to our table. I can use the recipe as written and I've found that Rick's suggestions also make it fun to improvise with fresh ingredients that I can find locally. While some of the recipes can be time consuming and might look complicated I found that Rick provides clear and complete instructions that make even new, untried attempts work out great the first time. This is a cornerstone in our cookbook library.
6 out of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Excelente!Friday, November 19, 2004
Hats off to Bayless, this is one of the best cookbooks I have ever come across - regardless of culinary topic. He really does provide everything you would want in a cook book...he reveals the story behind the food with valuable insight, provides a good balance between finished dishes and understanding the raw materials and techniques, and he provides you with great sources for deeper research.
Its interesting that I was hesitant about Bayless's book in the beginning because my only previous experience with him was watching a few episodes of his show. From what I saw, I thought he spent way too much time on Antojitos...and that was definitely not what I was interested. See, I was born in Mexico City, and have dined on most of the regional cuisines of Mexico so what I craved were the incredible savory, complex dishes that I could not even dream of finding in California, where it is relatively easy to find authentic Mexican "junk" food.
To that end, this book really delivers. I have successfully prepared the Barbacoa, utilized his method of simmering chicken straight in a rich sauce, his basic sauce recipes answered a few lingering questions that allowed me to perfect my own recipes. In addition, I am exclusively dry roasting garlic on a griddle, and rinsing chopped onions which has improved just about every dish I prepare. Finally, he has given me valuable insight for deeper research on Mexican cuisine...such as identifying a Mexican cookbook that is entirely devoted to Mexico's wild mushrooms & truffles.
And those who don't think the foods he presents are traditional are completely wrong. If anything, he steers clear away from Contemporary trends in Mexican cuisine. As a matter of fact, if I would suggest any changes, it would be to add a chapter on the recent fusion cuisines of Mexico....Italian-Mexican, Japanese-Mexican, Thai-Mexican; and a chapter on the trendy insect dishes....escamoles (ant eggs), gusano de maguey (agave worm), chapulines (crickets) etc.,
1 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Mexican Ingredients, Used His WayMonday, October 04, 2004
Have made the Mango Trifle (a real antique -- he found it in the notebooks of a nun circa 15th century) the Plantain Pie (he basically takes a pumpkin pie and substitutes plantains, revising the ingredients to match the strong flavor), chili-glazed country ribs, sweet potatoes glazed with chili & cinnamon, red ancho chili rice, lamb stew w/ swarthy pasilla sauce, refritos, etc. & so far I plan to make everything in here! I read this book a couple of times a week, it's so interesting, full of information and guidance. After reading the negative reviews here, I had to speak up. I've made authentic Mexican food with Mexicans and Mexico is all about improvisation -- no matter what anyone at Gourmet Magazine will tell you! In fact, the mole sauces that are so famous, are just sauces where their creators put everything (including the kitchen sink) into the sauce, in the hopes of a splendid creation! It's in their history g-dmmit! And if you've ever been in the kitchen with a Mexican guy, he'll put all kinds of things together. Despite what his Grandma does. [In my experience, the only thing they don't seem to mess with is Chocolate. They will laugh their head off if you so much as ask for a moccachino!] And Rick tells you all that in here -- if you want to make the traditional dishes, get his other book. This is for those of us who want to pick up some chilis, some beans, and have a good time! [the only recipe that didn't work out was the chocolate pecan pie .. it was obviously untested. just use a larger pie plate (9.5" or 10") -- do NOT make it a deep-dish -- and roll out the crust accordingly. I tried to make it a deep-dish as he says, and it didn't cook evenly.]
1 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Top-notchFriday, December 05, 2003
Sometimes a cookbook is so comprehensive, in terms of recipes and in capturing an attitude toward cuisine, that its greatness is obvious. This is such a book. If you know anything at all about Rick Bayless, you know that this isn't your Chi-chi's Mexican cooking. Within the pages of this book you will find dishes of incredible depth and you will learn a lot about the culture that engendered this cuisine.
If the complicated main course items are rather daunting, the salsas are quite do-able. By going through the salsa section I feel like my own cooking has gained a new syntax. Whether this is going to be a frequently used cookbook depends on your ambition and of course the amount of time you can devote to cooking. Even if you make a small fraction of the recipes, you will gain a lot of insight into Mexican cooking just by reading the book.
0 out of 9 people found the following review helpful:
must have''Friday, December 27, 2002
if you love to cook mexican. this book is for you'