Exploring Mexico's Kitchen with Rick Bayless
Rick Bayless is proud to share these sensational recipes with you. This curated collection includes his all-time favorite traditional Mexican dishes, meals you can prepare on the fly, classic tacos and salsa, memorable cocktails, and more.
Seasons
1. Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa
Air Date: 2023-06-01
Rick Bayless shares his tasty recipe for Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa that is smooth and zesty, with a bright flavor profile.
2. Beginner's Mole
Air Date: 2023-06-01
Jammed with a harmonious balance of dried chiles, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate, this mole poblano can be ready in about an hour's time, or more, if you want to let the pot simmer awhile. The key to success is preparation.
3. Bunuelos
Air Date: 2023-06-08
Bunuelos are remarkably thin, golden, crispy pastry disks that are popular throughout much of Mexico, especially around Christmastime, and are an obsession of Rick Baylesses.
4. Chiles Rellenos
Air Date: 2023-06-15
This recipe does not require many ingredients, but what it does require is a solid gameplan, and good technique. Rick Bayless will walk you through the dish's preparation step by step, and the outcome is well worth the wait.
5. Crepas con Cajeta
Air Date: 2023-06-22
Even though Rick Bayless cannot take you to where he learned how to prepare Mexico's most famous sweet treat, he can show you how to achieve the luscious texture, enticing aromas, and beautiful caramel color the dish is known for.
6. Enchiladas a la Plaza
Air Date: 2023-06-29
On the streets of Morelia, you will find Enchiladas a la Plaza, a wondrous style of enchilada in which a spoonful of richly flavored vegetables is piled atop (not inside) seared, red chili-flavored tortillas. Here is Rick's delish recipe.
7. Enchiladas Suizas
Air Date: 2023-07-06
Though these are more traditionally made with chicken, Rick's favorite version is made with a mixture of roasted vegetables. For this recipe, he calls for a modest amount of cheese melted on top, but you can always add more.
8. Fresh Cheese Tostada with Oaxacan Flavors
Air Date: 2023-07-13
Did you hang on to any of the Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa you made? We are going to put it to deliciously simple use with these Oaxacan-inspired tostadas. These are great for a quick snack, and even better if you let the cheese marinate.
9. Green Shrimp Cocktail
Air Date: 2023-07-20
When the temperatures drop, Rick likes to imagine he is somewhere much warmer, snacking on this creamy, crunchy, crowd-pleasing "green" version of a classic Mexican shrimp cocktail.
10. Hoja Santa in My Backyard
Air Date: 2023-07-27
Hoja Santa grows wild in the Southwest, but Rick has found a way to grow it in Illinois. The leaves of this plant are used as a wrapper, or as a seasoning for meat, fish, mushrooms, tamales, as well as a special ingredient in yellow mole.
11. Microgreens
Air Date: 2023-08-03
Get an inside look at Rick Bayless' microgreens garden, a little basement oasis where he grows colorful herbs for his restaurants in Chicago.
12. Mussels a la Mexicana
Air Date: 2023-08-10
Drive down the Baja coastline from San Diego to Ensenada and you will find many restaurants serving mussels plucked right from the bay's fertile cold waters. Here, Rick combines fresh mussels with a seared version of Salsa Mexicana.
13. My Knife Collection
Air Date: 2023-08-17
It is no secret: Rick loves kitchen knives. Whenever he travels, he visits specialty stores so that he may bring home something new for his collection. Here, he shows you some of his favorites, and reveals his kitchen essentials.
14. Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa
Air Date: 2023-08-24
Rick would love to be in Oaxaca right now, tasting mezcal, and lazily strolling the Zocalo. Since he is not headed there anytime soon, he figures the next best thing is to make Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa, containing Pasilla Oaxaqueno chiles.
15. Ponche
Air Date: 2023-08-31
Warm and fruit-filled, ponche is the traditional punch served at Christmastime posadas in Mexico. Serve it without alcohol or spike it con piquete ("with a little bite") by adding white rum.
16. Reheating Tortillas
Air Date: 2023-09-07
When you buy corn tortillas at the store, your work is still incomplete. Here, Rick shows you a helpful, foolproof way to reheat store-bought tortillas and keep them warm and pliable.
17. Salsa Macha
Air Date: 2023-09-14
Nutty, spicy, and good on just about anything you can put it on, Rick Bayless will reveal how to prepare a tasty salsa macha, your new go-to condiment.
18. Scallop Tostadas with Salsa Macha
Air Date: 2023-09-21
Inspired by the La Guerrerense seafood street cart in Ensenada, Rick heads to the kitchen to create these perfect little scallop tostadas. If you want to follow the lead of Sabina Bandera, you can serve them raw.
19. Tamales
Air Date: 2023-09-28
The very best tamales are made from fresh-ground corn masa, and fresh-rendered pork lard. You can make delicious tamales with alternative ingredients, as well. First, Rick outlines the equipment and basic ingredients you will need.
20. What's in My Fridge?
Air Date: 2023-10-05
It is true. People always want to know what is inside a chef's home refrigerator, so Rick has decided it is time to give you a glimpse inside his.
1. Arroz a la Tumbada
Air Date: 2023-07-01
This brothy seafood and rice dish can accommodate pretty much anything from the sea you can think of adding to it. When looking to make a nice quick meal, this version of Arroz a la Tumbada is perfect for company.
2. Chipotle Salsa
Air Date: 2023-07-08
This is the rusty-colored red chile version of the green chile roasted tomatillo salsa, minus the cilantro. When Frontera Foods opened 25 years ago, this was one of the five iconic salsas on the menu, and ever since, sales have soared.
3. Enfrijoladas
Air Date: 2023-07-15
A plate of these addictive enfrijoladas served with a big salad and cold beer, or fruity red wine, makes for a delicious lunch or supper.
4. Golden Eggplant Torta
Air Date: 2023-07-22
Rick takes the ubiquitous, soul-satisfying, Torta de Milanesa found throughout Mexico, and swaps out the meat for golden-crusted eggplant, then adds fresh goat cheese, fresh greens, a spoonful of smoky chipotle salsa, and cheese garnish.
5. Knife Sharpening: Honing Steel
Air Date: 2023-07-29
One of the most essential tools in any home kitchen is a honing steel knife sharpener. Here, Rick demystifies the process so you can get in the habit of keeping your knives ready.
6. A Tour of My Home Kitchen
Air Date: 2023-08-05
Rick gives you a quick tour of his home kitchen, including some custom-built features he added that add to his ability to entertain guests. Plus, he will offer one key tip for designing your kitchen for maximum efficiency.
7. Machacado con Huevo
Air Date: 2023-08-12
Rick Bayless introduces you to your new favorite breakfast. Ingredients-wise, he encourages you to buy carne seca that has already been pounded/milled from a Mexican grocery, or Online.
8. Molcajete Care
Air Date: 2023-08-19
Invest a little time (and elbow grease) now to set yourself up for success later, by taking good car of your molcajete.
9. Using a Molcajete
Air Date: 2023-08-26
Molcajetes are for more than presenting your guacamole creations. Crushing rock against rock will bring out flavors and aromas that you will never achieve in a blender. Does it require more elbow grease? Yes. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
10. My Knife Roll
Air Date: 2023-09-02
Hitting the road? Be ready to cook anywhere with a well-stocked knife roll. Here, Rick reveals his essentials.
11. Oaxacan Piedrazo Salad
Air Date: 2023-09-09
In Spanish, a piedrazo translates to a "blow given with a stone," so the name itself serves as a warning. In this Spanish dish, 'the rock' is the chunk of hard bread, while the vinegar, chile, and salt are 'the blow' to your senses.
12. Potato-Chorizo Tacos
Air Date: 2023-09-16
These tacos are down-right delicious. And you can make them in a flash. The best versions of these tacos that Rick has ever tasted are from street vendors, where they have the potato-chorizo mixture browning on the side of the griddle.
13. Queso Fundido
Air Date: 2023-09-23
Queso fundido is, literally, melted cheese. That is, cheese put into an earthenware dish and melted beside, or over, a bed of coals. For this recipe, Rick took a page out of the fondue playbook and added a little beer to the mix.
14. Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Air Date: 2023-09-30
Tomatillo salsa can be made in so many ways, and with varying proportions. Tomatillos are acidic and the process of roasting adds welcome sweetness. Plus, the bits of charred skin add a rustic gutsiness.
15. Sikil Pak
Air Date: 2023-10-07
The Mayan-named 'sikil pak' is a preparation that has been passed down for generations. Some cooks emphasize tomatoes in their mixture, but Rick prefers allowing the richness of the seeds to shine through. This dish is easy to love.
16. Sopa Seca de Fideo
Air Date: 2023-10-14
While Rick admits there is something thoroughly craveable about a traditional fideo seco dish, this version gives it a run for its money. That said, crispy chorizo, diced avocado, and anejo cheese would not be at all out of place here.
17. Tinga Poblana
Air Date: 2023-10-21
Rich in roasted tomatoes, browned meat, and smoky chipotle chiles, this is one of Rick's favorite dishes. In colonial Puebla, tinga is offered as a stew (what we will make here), a torta, and stuffing for masa turnovers.
18. Torta de Elote
Air Date: 2023-10-28
Due to its buttery richness, Rick always serves this dish warm from the oven, or after giving it some heat in the microwave or low oven. Serving it warm is the best way to thoroughly indulge in the torta's moist tenderness.
19. Tuna Tostada
Air Date: 2023-11-04
Whenever Rick arrives in Mexico City, he always makes a beeline straight to Contramar, Gabriela Camara's groundbreaking seafood restaurant, for a long, leisurely lunch that always includes the restaurant's famous Tuna Tostada.
20. Weights and Measures
Air Date: 2023-11-11
When it comes to creating recipes, 'precision' is one of Rick's great talents. Fine-tuning your weighing and measuring skills, especially when baking, can help you perfect the cuisine you create in your home kitchen.
1. Beef Tips in Chile Guajillo Sauce
Air Date: 2023-08-01
This is one of Mexico's most iconic flavors. Here, Rick envelopes seared cubes of steak in a beautiful chile sauce, and the sweet crunch of the caramelized onion offers the perfect counterpoint to vibrant red chile and savory seared beef.
2. Taquitos Ahogados
Air Date: 2023-08-01
It is time to get frying, and these Taquitos Ahogados are the perfect place to start. Serve them as a quick snack, or as a fun first course, but wither way, Rick guarantees smiles all around.
3. Seared Pork Chops with Roasted Poblano, Tomatillo, and Nopal Cactus
Air Date: 2023-08-01
The ingredients in this dish truly represent the classic flavors from the heart of Mexico. Rick really loves this dish with rustic mashed potatoes made from red or white-skin potatoes that are boiled, not baked. Rice is also welcome.
4. Pro Chef Tips
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Here are a few things Rick believes you need to know to become a better cook. Notice that these pointers do not include the size of your kitchen, or the quality of your appliances.
5. Queso Fresco
Air Date: 2023-08-01
This queso fresco resembles a whole-milk ricotta, but Rick presses it more firmly so that it can be easily crumbled. To tackle this project, you will need an accurate thermometer that registers down to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
6. Crema Mexicana
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Rick makes two versions of Mexican-style crema. The first is luscious, nutty, and resembles crema de rancho, while the second is sour and more stable when spooned onto warm flautas. Both can be stored for several weeks in the refrigerator.
7. Yellow Mole
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Here is one of the classic seven moles from Oaxaca. Most would say the lightest, and the simplest. Now, if you are careful with the chicken and vegetable poaching, the result can be quite nice, and the sauce is completely traditional.
8. Chorizo and Eggs
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Chorizo and Eggs
9. Tequila and Mezcal
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Rick provides an introductory lesson into the world of tequila and mezcal, two glorious agave spirits.
10. Essential Appliances
Air Date: 2023-08-01
A look at the other side of Rick Bayless' kitchen reveals the everyday essential kitchen appliances that set him up for success as a home cook. What is on your wish list for your kitchen?
11. Street-Style Sopes
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Quintessentially simple, perfectly made sopes are about the best thing a person can eat, but like all street food, they can be a challenge to make indoors. Simple as they may look, the perfect pressing, baking, and pinching takes practice.
12. Pickled Manzanos and Onions
Air Date: 2023-08-01
These are a welcome condiment throughout Mexico. When manzano chiles are used, they take focus over the onions. When habaneros are used, it is best to add a small amount. White onions are most common, but red onions are welcome too.
13. All About Salt
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Knowing how to properly season your food with salt is one of the most important lessons Rick Bayless can teach you. Master this lesson, and you will be a much better cook.
14. Carne Apache
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Carne apache is analogous to beef tartare meats ceviche. Most cooks let the mixture marinade until the meat takes on cooked texture, but Rick prefers a more traditional tartare texture. The smokiness of chipotles is delicious here.
15. Knife Skills
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Working with a knife is essential to feeling comfortable in the kitchen. Take a closer look at Rick's collection of knives, and gain insight into how proper posture affects your ability to successfully slice and dice.
16. Guacamole Class
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Guacamole evolves and transforms into what each cook prefers or based on what the occasion demands. While many contemporary creations have been written, there is a traditional foundation from which all guacamoles are created.
17. Crispy Fried Sopes
Air Date: 2023-08-01
The experience of biting into the golden, crispy exterior, yielding to the soft masa within, is different from the classic griddle-baked sopes, and because these sopes have higher sides, they make perfect vessels for saucier fillings.
18. All About Frying
Air Date: 2023-08-01
Do not shy away from a little hot oil. With some know-how, and the right equipment, you are just a few steps away from golden crispy deliciousness.
19. Creamy Greens and Potato Tacos
Air Date: 2023-08-01
This dish is inspired by rajas con crema, and by adding potatoes and greens, it becomes a wonderful taco filling. And if, for some reason, you are not in the mood to make tacos, you can turn this mixture into a great pasta dish.
20. Freezer Preservation
Air Date: 2023-08-01
One of the most powerful tools in any home kitchen is the freezer. They are great for preserving food and preventing waste, but using your freezer wisely depends on how well your food is stored. Here are Rick's tips for the deep freeze.
1. Herby, Spicy Tomatillo Salsa
Air Date: 2023-09-01
This salsa tastes so lively and fresh it practically jumps from the dish. Rick has a few suggestions regarding the herbs you use.
2. Mango-Lime Ice
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Soul satisfying summer refreshment is just three ingredients, and one ice cream machine, away.
3. Nopales Salad
Air Date: 2023-09-01
If you have not tasted nopal cactus, it is a little crunchy, like an al dente green bean, but decidedly tangier. It is the texture that must be wrestled with.
4. Rick's Favorite Steak Tacos
Air Date: 2023-09-01
There is no way Rick could amass a collection of the most essential Mexican recipes without including grilled skirt steak tacos. They are simply his favorite. Enjoy.
5. Chamoy
Air Date: 2023-09-01
If you think in terms of dishes that are sweet, salty, spicy, or tangy, chamoy may leave you confused, because its flavor profile includes all those things. In other words, chamoy is a riot of flavor.
6. Chilaquiles Class
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Simply put, chilaquiles are Rick's go-to comfort food. After you have made it once, you will understand the proportions and can begin improvising your way through your own unique signature versions.
7. Mexican Pottery
Air Date: 2023-09-01
These beautiful pieces are much more than a decorative fruit bowl.
8. Chiltomate Salsa
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Think of Chiltomate as the Yucatecan version of the traditional roasted tomato Salsa de Molcajete commonly found in Central Mexico, only this salsa is sparked by the fiery, floral flavors of roasted habanero.
9. Habanero Salsa
Air Date: 2023-09-01
For those that like it spicy, get ready. This fiery, floral Roasted Habanero Salsa is one of Rick's all-time favorites.
10. Tangy Yucatecan Grilled Pork
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Even the best Poc Chuc is the simplest of dishes. You will need a charcoal fire, grill-roasted onions, a sharp marinade for the pork, a plateful of lightly seasoned vegetables, and an explosive dribble of roasted habanero salsa.
11. Carnitas Three Ways
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Rick reveals three ways to make pork carnitas. First, there is the professional version that is hard to replicate at home. The second is a homestyle method that is easy. The third transforms the first method into something doable at home.
12. Salsa Mexicana Two Ways
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Through the years Rick has shared several recipes for this iconic, ubiquitous salsa. This time, he is adding a twist to the mix.
13. Grilling 101
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Never overlook the basics. In this video, Rick discusses the importance of grill maintenance, direct and indirect grilling, grates, seasoning your proteins, essential grilling tools, and more.
14. Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
Air Date: 2023-09-01
These are crowd-pleasing flavors that no one would confuse with those of an American shrimp cocktail. Ketchup? Yes, but that is where it ends. Mexican cooks gravitate more toward tanginess and spice.
15. Salsa Bruja
Air Date: 2023-09-01
This spicy, herby, spiced vinegar is an act of kitchen wizardry that perfectly complements seafood cocktails, crab tostadas, and other similar dishes. The sensory beauty of the finished product will inspire you to give some away as gifts.
16. Coctel Campechano
Air Date: 2023-09-01
This is what you serve when you want to please your guests with an impressive seafood cocktail. If oysters are added, the name of the dish changes to vuelve a la vida, "return to life," because of its purported ability to cure a hangover.
17. Rick Bayless: My Story (So Far)
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Rick is often asked- "How did you end up here?" From a hardworking child in his family's Oklahoma restaurant, to chef, author, and TV host in Chicago, this is the inspirational story of how Rick Bayless's life-path unfolded.
18. Blender vs. Food Processor
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Why does Rick call for blending in his recipes when there is a good chance most of you have food processors? It is all about blade speed.
19. Puebla Spritz
Air Date: 2023-09-01
Inspired by the very popular Aperol Spritz, this cocktail developed by Rick's daughter Lanie Bayless combines Mexico's spectacular Ancho Reyes chile liqueur with orange liqueur and sparkling wine.
20. Entomatadas
Air Date: 2023-09-01
An English translation does not do this incredibly delicious dish justice. Slight variations in the ingredients you use will lead you to create a different dish, such as enchiladas or enfrijoladas.
1. Pickled Red Onions
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Pickled red onions are obligatory on any pibil preparations, or fish tikin xic, but Rick also loves them on papadzules, as well as Yucatecan ceviches and tacos. Rick shares the time-tested method he has used in his restaurants for decades.
2. Chicken Tinga Tacos
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Rick celebrates Cinco de Mayo by cooking one of Puebla's most classic dishes, Tinga Poblana. Yes, it is typically made with pork, but the flavors are right at home with chicken thighs.
3. Margarita Master Class
Air Date: 2023-10-01
The classic Margarita is a time-honored recipe. It first involves mixing the right ingredients at the correct proportions, as well as choosing a proper orange liqueur, and using tequila that is 100% agave. Then, you can improvise to taste.
4. Tikin Xic
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Tikin Xic is one of the most delicious, rustic fish dishes in Mexico, one coated with tangy achiote marinade. It is an easy dish if you use fish fillets, and a challenging (yet rewarding) one if you butterfly an entire fish.
5. Champagne Margarita
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Go on, treat yourself. This recipe serves eight 6-ounce drinks for your lucky guests.
6. Creamy Grilled Corn with Chile and Cheese
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Smoky grilled corn on the cob slathered in mayonnaise (or crema) and showered with one of Mexico's bright-tasting garnishing cheeses, spicy powdered chile, and squeezed lime will set your summer afternoon right.
7. Classic Tres Leches Cake
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Rick presents Tres Leches Cake in its most traditional form. One bite is all you need to comprehend why this is a classic, yet to this day, nobody knows for certain where the cake originated. The possibilities are endless.
8. Green Chile Adobo Dip
Air Date: 2023-10-01
This is an herbaceous green chile adobo that gets slightly unexpected company: luscious crema and mayonnaise. In the end, this is a super-easy, creamy, spicy dip for your vegetable crudite, or an accompaniment to a grilled shrimp platter.
9. Mojo de Ajo
Air Date: 2023-10-01
This version of mojo de ajo asado is the simplest yet and is amazing with pasta and vegetables, such as sauteed eggplant or blanched broccolini.
10. Red Chile Adobo with Glazed Shrimp
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Rick shares a super-easy, super-useful version of classic Red Chile Adobo, that when coupled with the glossy-sweet punch of agave syrup, makes for an impressively easy glazed shrimp dish. Do you need a wok for this recipe? Ideally, yes.
11. Salsa Negra
Air Date: 2023-10-01
The deep richness and smoldering heat of this Veracruz specialty is just right for adding depth and complexity to simple dishes. It is a perfect glaze for anything off the grill, an addition to your Bloody Mary mix, or your raw oysters.
12. Chocoflan
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Rick first tasted chocoflan a few decades ago, and it blew him away to the point that he immediately went on the hunt for the recipe. Now, he shares it with you. Though this recipe may appear daunting, success will taste oh so good.
13. Spicy Mezcal Old Fashioned
Air Date: 2023-10-01
It is all about the pasilla chile simple syrup. Make it once, and keep it bottled in your fridge for easy access, and, easy cocktails.
14. Tequila Old Fashioned
Air Date: 2023-10-01
You might not believe this, but ancho chile has a lot in common with bourbon and anejo tequila. Rick will explain why as he shares his Tequila Old Fashioned with you.
15. Herby Shrimp Cocktail
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Go ahead and buy the cooked shrimp at your fish counter. Take those and a few spoonfuls of herby green chile adobo, and you are halfway through one of the quickest, and most special appetizers Rick knows how to make.
16. Red Chile Adobo Potatoes
Air Date: 2023-10-01
This is among Rick's favorite dishes to share with friends and family. The beautifully complex red adobo is amazing on any roasted root vegetables.
17. Salsa Negra Eggplant with Black Beans
Air Date: 2023-10-01
The smoky, dark richness of chipotle-spiked salsa negra, coupled with the caramelly deliciousness of roasted eggplant, is a flavor-packed combination, especially when served with a smooth black bean sauce laced with even more salsa negra.
18. Spicy, Garlicky Pintos
Air Date: 2023-10-01
Rich in roasted garlic and sparked by feisty arbol chiles, these frijoles pintos refritos are perfect for smearing on a tortilla or as a side dish with enchiladas.
19. Bayless Family Pizza!
Air Date: 2023-10-01
This recipe has stood the test of time in Rick's family kitchen. His approach began as a grilled pizza that, over time, became a baked one with a thin crispy crust. In the summertime, he loves to scatter on some diced roasted squash.
20. Peach-Jalapeno Upside Down Cake
Air Date: 2023-10-01
When peaches are in season, Rick loves to make this cake. Over time, he has revealed several recipes for this cake, but here he shares the deeply rich version.
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Rating
0.0/10
Release Date
2023-06-01
Episodes
100 (5 seasons)
Status
Returning Series
