Rediscover Mexican Food with Recipes from Chef Pati Jinich

If you haven’t heard of Pati Jinich, you’re in for a treat. The host of the popular PBS show Pati’s Mexican Table and official chef of the Mexican Cultural Institute has authored her second cookbook, and is sharing some of its recipes with Latina and TheLatinKitchen.com readers.

Mexican Today: New and Rediscovered Recipes for Contemporary Kitchens features easy recipes that range from modern street foods to traditional regional fare to Jinich’s own grandmother’s recipes.

Among these are Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado Rolls, Creamy Mac ‘n’ Cheese Mexicano – author’s note: I made this last night and it was to die for – and Open-faced Gravlax Sandwiches.

Of the latter, Jinich says: “I serve these open-faced sandwiches as a light dinner or for brunch… No cooking required! I’ve put a Mexican spin on this Scandinavian dish, substituting intense silver tequila for the traditional aquavit.”

Additional recipes include Latin twists on traditional Passover favorites, all of which, particularly Jinich’s Zucchini Torte and Matzo Balls with Mushrooms and Jalapenos in Broth, can and should be enjoyed year-round.

Jinich’s salads are another cookbook highlight. In Mexican Today, she writes: “The array of salads that can be made using Mexican ingredients has not been fully explored outside Mexico. This may be a ‘lost in translation’ issue. Although the word ensalada usually refers to dishes that have lettuce in them, this doesn’t account for the infinite number of other Mexican dishes that can be categorized as salads.”

One of our favorites, is her Salpicón, a Mexican version of Salad Niçoise. It’s healthy, simple, and makes an ideal midweek meal.

Click through for recipes from Pati Jinich’s Mexican Today, as featured in the April issue of Latina Magazine.

Open-Faced Gravlaz Sandwich

• 2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Get the full recipe.

Shrimp, Mango, and Avocado Rolls

• 12 bacon slices
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Get the full recipe. 

Creamy Mac ‘n’ Cheese Mexicano

• 1 pound poblano chiles, seeded and cut into chunks
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Get the full recipe.