Celebrity Chef Rick Bayless on Food News and Views

Foods for #Valentine’s Day – usual ones – oysters, prime rib, chocolates? A new idea – Hot and Spicy Mexican dishes.  Chef Rick Bayless gives tips on Food News and Views, #WLRN NPR 91.3 FM, 1:30-2 PM ET, steamed live and archived at www.wlrn.org.

Here’s his Mexicano Hot Chocolate.  Serve it with Mexican Churros or donuts.

Mexican Hot Chocolate

Makes about 3 cups, enough for 4 6-ounce servings

2 ½ cups milk or water

1 cup (about 5 ounces) chopped Mexican chocolate (no need to chop the chocolate finely)

In a medium-small (2 quart) saucepan, combine the milk or water and the chocolate.  Stir over medium heat until the mixture is steaming hot and the chocolate more-or-less dissolved (there will still be small pieces). Pour into a Mexican chocolate pot or blender.

If using the Mexican pot, put a wooden molinillo in the pot and begin whipping the chocolate by rolling the handle quickly back and forth between your palms.  The movement is a little like rubbing your palms against each other to warm them in cold weather—only here the molinillo’s wooden handle is between them.  After about 2 minutes of vigorous beating, dip a spoon into the mixture to make sure the chocolate has dissolved (they’ll always be a few bits of chocolate on the bottom) and the mixture is foamy.

If using a blender, loosely cover (or take off the lid’s removable center piece—this eliminates dangerous pressure build-up when blending hot mixtures) and blend until the mixture is homogenous and foamy, about 30 seconds.  Alternatively, use an immersion blender in a tall pitcher and blend until foamy.

Pour into cups, dividing the foam equally, and they’re ready to serve.

Working Ahead:  Frothy Mexican hot chocolate waits for no one.