Pati's Mexican Table and Baked Molletes

Next week marks Cinco de Mayo, which celebrates a major Mexican victory against French invaders (Cinco de Mayo is often mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which actually falls on September 16 and celebrates Mexico's independence from Spain). This holiday is a fine excuse to celebrate the wonderful flavors of Mexico. In much of our country, Mexican food is synonymous with flour tortillas, Cheddar cheese, and crunchy tacos filled with ground beef. But Mexico is a food lover's paradise, with fantastic fresh seafood, a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables, exotic herbs, and bold flavors.

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I am delighted to share some authentic, flavorful, and family-friendly recipes with you from my friend, Patricia Jinich, a native of Mexico, chef, and cooking instructor at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C.  Pati is also the host of the enchanting new cooking show, Pati's Mexican Table, which airs on many PBS stations. (By the way, watching cooking shows together is a fantastic way to get your children interested in cooking and expand your own knowledge about food and cooking techniques. The content is almost always appropriate for all ages.) Pati says, "Molletes, a popular Mexican anytime antojito or craving, can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, brunch, afternoon munchie, or dinner." As with most antojitos, this recipe is flexible: You can add extra toppings like diced ham, turkey, cooked bacon, or fried chorizo. Although molletes are generally served with a juicy Pico de Gallo salsa (see recipe below), they can be drizzled with any salsa of your choice.

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl, toss well and serve. Can be prepared up to 12 hours ahead of time, covered and refrigerated. Can be eaten with anything you want to try it with! For your Cinco de Mayo celebration, you might also enjoy this tortilla salad recipe from Cooking Flexitarian: http://cookingflexitarian.blogspot.com/2011/02/tortilla-salad.html 

For dessert, how about some Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies like these from Rachel Currier? http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/2010/09/mexican-hot-chocolate-cookies/

Do your kids like to watch cooking shows with you? Which are their/your favorites?