Exploring Mexico's Kitchen with Rick Bayless

Rick Bayless shares his tasty recipe for Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa that is smooth and zesty, with a bright flavor profile.

Jammed with a harmonious balance of dried chiles, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and chocolate, this mole poblano can be ready in about an hour's time, or more, if you want to let the pot simmer awhile. The key to success is preparation.

Bunuelos are remarkably thin, golden, crispy pastry disks that are popular throughout much of Mexico, especially around Christmastime, and are an obsession of Rick Baylesses.

This recipe does not require many ingredients, but what it does require is a solid game plan, and good technique. Rick Bayless will walk you through the dish's preparation step by step, and the outcome is well worth the wait.

Even though Rick Bayless cannot take you to where he learned how to prepare Mexico's most famous sweet treat, he can show you how to achieve the luscious texture, enticing aromas, and beautiful caramel color the dish is known for.

On the streets of Morelia, you will find Enchiladas a la Plaza, a wondrous style of enchilada in which a spoonful of richly flavored vegetables is piled atop (not inside) seared, red chili-flavored tortillas. Here is Rick's delish recipe.

Though these are more traditionally made with chicken, Rick's favorite version is made with a mixture of roasted vegetables. For this recipe, he calls for a modest amount of cheese melted on top, but you can always add more.

Did you hang on to any of the Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa you made? We are going to put it to deliciously simple use with these Oaxacan-inspired tostadas. These are great for a quick snack, and even better if you let the cheese marinate.

When the temperatures drop, Rick likes to imagine he is somewhere much warmer, snacking on this creamy, crunchy, crowd-pleasing "green" version of a classic Mexican shrimp cocktail.

Hoja Santa grows wild in the Southwest, but Rick has found a way to grow it in Illinois. The leaves of this plant are used as a wrapper, or as a seasoning for meat, fish, mushrooms, tamales, as well as a special ingredient in yellow mole.

Get an inside look at Rick Bayless' microgreens garden, a little basement oasis where he grows colorful herbs for his restaurants in Chicago.

Drive down the Baja coastline from San Diego to Ensenada and you will find many restaurants serving mussels plucked right from the bay's fertile cold waters. Here, Rick combines fresh mussels with a seared version of Salsa Mexicana.

It is no secret: Rick loves kitchen knives. Whenever he travels, he visits specialty stores so that he may bring home something new for his collection. Here, he shows you some of his favorites, and reveals his kitchen essentials.

Rick would love to be in Oaxaca right now, tasting mezcal, and lazily strolling the Zocalo. Since he is not headed there anytime soon, he figures the next best thing is to make Oaxacan Pasilla Salsa, containing Pasilla Oaxaqueno chiles.

Warm and fruit-filled, ponche is the traditional punch served at Christmastime posadas in Mexico. Serve it without alcohol or spike it con piquete ("with a little bite") by adding white rum.

When you buy corn tortillas at the store, your work is still incomplete. Here, Rick shows you a helpful, foolproof way to reheat store-bought tortillas and keep them warm and pliable.

Nutty, spicy, and good on just about anything you can put it on, Rick Bayless will reveal how to prepare a tasty salsa macha, your new go-to condiment.

Inspired by the La Guerrerense seafood street cart in Ensenada, Rick heads to the kitchen to create these perfect little scallop tostadas. If you want to follow the lead of Sabina Bandera, you can serve them raw.

The very best tamales are made from fresh-ground corn masa, and fresh-rendered pork lard. You can make delicious tamales with alternative ingredients, as well. First, Rick outlines the equipment and basic ingredients you will need.

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.