CINCO DE MAYO : CAPTURE THE VIBRANT FLAVORS OF THE `MEXICAN KITCHEN'.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Daily News Food Editor

Chef and restaurateur Rick Bayless, a self-described gringo, is passionate about Mexican cuisine and culture, and pursuing the authentic regional flavors of the foods of Mexico.

It was a trip there at 14 that captured his interest - and it's been nonstop ever since. Today, Mexican food is his art and livelihood.

With wife Deann Groen Bayless, he owns two Chicago restaurants, Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, and has recently written his second cookbook, ``Mexican Kitchen, Capturing the Vibrant Flavors of a World-Class Cuisine,'' with JeanMarie Brownson (Scribner; $30), which won the International Association of Culinary Professionals best cookbook of the year award recently. The cookbook is filled with celebration fare, ideal for Cinco de Mayo festivities this year. ``I guess I had an immediate attraction to Mexican culture and spent a lot of time learning about it,'' said the unpretentious Bayless, who earned the Best Chef of the Year award in 1995 from the James Beard Foundation. ``I've adopted the cuisine for myself. It feels right for me; I love the flavors; and I like eating it every day. I just have sort of a Mexican spirit.''

Bayless was so immersed in it that he majored in Spanish and Latin American culture at the University of Oklahoma.

And his cooking roots have served him well. He began helping in his parents' barbecue restaurant, which served barbecued and southern style food in Oklahoma City during his childhood years, then worked there as a teen and handled the restaurant's catering business during his college years after his father passed away.

``As a child, I remember going on expeditions with my father to taste other barbecue food,'' reminisced Bayless, who was enamored of checking ethnic cookbooks out of the library beginning at age 10 - and cooking ethnic and other kinds of meals for the family.

``My mother hardly ever cooked at home until after I left the house,'' continued Bayless, ``so I was one of the main cooks of the house when we didn't take home food from the restaurant.'' Bayless also did the grocery shopping, and he'll never forget the time he couldn't find the lamb chops necessary for a recipe. He simply called an upscale store and had them delivered without asking the price - or his mother. ``They were really expensive and my mother was a little bowled over at what I had done,'' he said laughing, adding that his family loved the dinner with them.

``The next year I cooked fresh live lobsters (this time with his mother's approval) and I can still feel how awful I felt when I plunged them into boiling water. I've always loved a lot of different kinds of foods,'' he added.

Bayless also recalled the summer expeditions his grandmother led to a local peach farm to pick seven or eight bushels of peaches for fresh peach pie, peach butter and to can. ``Peach butter was my job,'' he added.

Bayless had decided to leave cooking after college to return to graduate school. But after earning his doctorate in linguistics from the University of Michigan (while running his own catering business and teaching cooking classes to survive), he changed his mind because he didn't want to teach, and other jobs were difficult to come by.

So, he and Deann - whom he met while in grad school (she was a terrific cook, he noted) - went to Mexico to research and write a cookbook - which they thought would take a year. They ended up spending five years there - exploring the markets, home kitchens, food stands and flavors - just working on the book - and traveling back and forth between Los Angeles for a restaurant consulting job that kept them afloat.

They dreamed of opening a restaurant in Chicago near Deann's family, and 10 years ago Frontier Grill opened, followed by the adjoining Topolobampo in 1989.

Bayless specializes in matters of food and flavor, while Deann is the general manager and handles the front of the house.

The new cookbook, which was in the making for two decades, is a combination cookbook, textbook and reference volume that distills the traditional and essential flavors of Mexico, providing in his words, ``a rich understanding of the ingredients, techniques, whys and wherefores of the Mexican kitchen.

``The cookbook is really for people who simply like to cook and eat and are interested in ethnic and bold flavors,'' emphasized Bayless - and for those who want to get to know Mexican culture through its flavors.

Unlike his first book, ``Authentic Mexican,'' which came out in 1987 and focused more on culture, the new cookbook is focused on cooking and ingredients, pointed out Bayless, adding that much of it was learned in his restaurant kitchens.

In his restaurants and his books, Bayless said, ``I'm trying to bring respect to a cuisine that has great integrity. I'm infuriated by the cooking of Mexican food here. Chain restaurants haven't preserved the integrity - they have cheapened it in a whole lot of ways,'' said the purist.

``The essence of my Mexican cooking is capturing the spirit and flavor of the dish as served in Mexico in the most authentic way possible,'' emphasized Bayless. ``That's been my battle cry since the beginning, and it is a means to understanding the whole, rich tradition of Mexican cuisine,'' he continued.

Bayless describes his style as traditionally flavored food with a lot of pizazz, color, aroma and texture. ``I go for total freshness and fun, beautiful plate presentation. I don't believe in museum-quality food; cuisine is a living thing. Basically I cook Mexican food as carefully as I can and present it in the best way it can be presented.''

Brownson, the former test kitchen director of the Chicago Tribune, spent three years translating and testing the book's 150 recipes - many of them related to those served in Bayless' restaurants - in a home kitchen using ingredients available in urban supermarkets. Alternatives to some specialty items are suggested, Talong with ways to shortcut preparation (using canned black beans instead of homemade; using chopped canned chipotle chiles instead of making a chipotle seasoning salsa, etc.). Particularly appealing are the descriptions of ingredients such as epazote, banana leaves, avocado leaves and various chiles as well as the variations and improvisations and other tips interspersed among the recipes. A list of mail order sources for specialty items such as spices and chiles is included at the end of the book.

Although many of the recipes appear lengthy and have many steps, they are not really difficult, providing you have the time to invest in them. For the most part, they're not quick and easy - and can't be whipped up when you get home from work. Many of them are celebration fare. But, after sampling some of the dishes, you'll probably find them worth the trouble, as some colleagues have. For a firm foundation in Mexican cuisine, Bayless advises cooks to master his 14 essential building-block recipes for salsas, sauces or seasonings to use as condiments or as the cornerstone of a dish. ``About half of the recipes in the book spring from one of the essential recipes,'' he noted.

Some of Bayless's tips:

When making a puree out of dried chiles that have been soaked, be sure to cook the puree until it is as thick as tomato paste. ``If you miss this cooking step, you'll lose the depth of flavor and real richness,'' cautioned Bayless.

When working with raw onions, rinse them with cold water after slicing or chopping for a crisper, cleaner flavor and to keep them from souring. You can hold them in the fridge for hours.

To celebrate Cinco de Mayo in style, try these recipe winners from Rick Bayless' ``Mexican Kitchen.'' They're bound to be the hit of the party.

ESSENTIAL SWEET-AND-SPICY ANCHO SEASONING PASTE

(Adobo de Chile Ancho)

If you take a few minutes to make this medium-spicy seasoning paste from toasted rehydrated ancho chiles, sweet roasted garlic and spices, you'll have a golTd mine in the refrigerator. More versatile than salsas (which are spooned on as condiments), this deep-burgundy, almost fluffy puree can be turned into the most complex dishes in the Mexican collection, from slow-simmered, rich, red mole and quick-seared red chile enchiladas to garnet-colored rice. I even use it to flavor American-style baked beans.

Start with this seasoning to learn how to clean, toast, soak, puree and strain dried chiles - it'll seem awkward if you haven't done it before, but when you taste what the seasoning does to different dishes, you'll keep making it until the process seems second nature.

8 large garlic cloves, unpeeled 

8 medium (about 4 ounces total) dried ancho chiles

Water

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, preferably Mexican

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, whole OR freshly ground

1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole OR freshly ground

Scant 1/4 teaspoon cloves, whole OR freshly ground

2/3 cup beef, chicken OR fish broth (even vegetable broth OR water), whichever is appropriate for the dish you're gong to use adobo in, plus a little more if needed

1 teaspoon salt

Set a heavy ungreased skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay unpeeled garlic on hot surface and roast to a sweet mellowness, turning occasionally, until soft when pressed between fingers (you'll notice it has blackened in a few small spots), about 15 minutes. Cool, then slip off papery skins and roughly chop.

While garlic is roasting, break stems off chiles, tear chiles open and remove seeds. Next, toast chiles, a few at a time, on a medium-hot skillet or griddle. Open flat, lay on hot skillet surface, skin-side up, press flat for a few seconds with a metal spatula (if temperature is right, you'll hear a faint crackle), then flip them. (If pressed long enough, they'll have changed to a mottled tan underneath. If you see a slight wisp of smoke, that's okay, but any more will mean burnt chiles.) Now, press down again to toast other side.

Transfer to a bowl, cover with hTot water and rehydrate 30 minutes, stirring regularly to ensure even soaking. Pour off all water and discard.

If using whole spices, pulverize oregano, pepper, cumin seeds and cloves in a spice grinder or mortar, then transfer to a food processor or blender, along with drained chiles and garlic. Measure in broth and process to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds. (If you're using a blender and mixture won't move through blades, add more broth, a little at a time, until everything is moving, but still as thick as possible.) With a rubber spatula, work puree through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard skins and seeds that remain behind strainer. Taste (it'll have a rough, raw edge to it), then season with salt. Makes about 1 cup.

ADVANCE PREPARATION: Covered and refrigerated, paste will keep about 2 weeks; paste also freezes well.

ANCHO-BROILED SALMON: Mix 4 to 5 tablespoons of seasoning paste with 1 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Use this to marinate 4 salmon fillets (OR sea bass, mahimahi OR snapper) for a few minutes, then lay on a baking sheet and set about 6 inches below a hot broiler. Broil 4 minutes, then flip over, drizzle on any marinade left in bowl and broil a few minutes, until fish flakes under firm pressure. Makes 4 servings.

RUSTIC JICAMA APPETIZER WITH

RED CHILE AND LIME

(Entremes de Jicama)

A plate of this elemental, full-flavored jicama appetizer is one of the best ways to experience Mexico: the gentle sweet crunch jazzed with a squeeze of tartness, a dusting of powdered heat and a sprinkling of perfume - in short, all the flavors and textures celebrated in Mexico's salsas and snacks.

I've tossed oranges, cucumbers and radishes into the mix to add even more variety. And why the pickled red onions? Though they're not part of most versions of this classic, which I've enjoyed most often in Yucatan and West Central Mexico, these Yucatecan onions add a dramatic magenta topknot that's sweet-sour, crunchy Tand herby.

1 medium (about 1 pound) jicama

2 small cucumbers

3 seedless oranges

6 radishes, thinly sliced

Juice of 2 limes (about 1/3 cup)

1/2 teaspoon (about) salt

2 teaspoons (about) powdered dried hot chile, preferably ancho OR guajillo

About 2/3 cup Picked Red Onions (optional - recipe follows)

About 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish

Peel away brown skin and fibrous exterior layer of jicama (a small knife works best for this); then cut in 1/2. Lay each 1/2 on cut side and slice 1/4-inch thick; cut slices in 1/2 diagonally. Slice cucumbers lengthwise in 1/2, scoop out seeds (if there are a lot), and cut each 1/2 diagonally into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut stem and blossom end off oranges, stand oranges on a cutting board and, working close to flesh, cut away peel and all white pith. Cut oranges in 1/2, then slice each 1/2 crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.

Mix jicama, cucumbers, radishes and lime juice in a large bowl. Marinate about 20 minutes, then season with salt.

Pile vegetables and fruit onto a serving platter and drizzle with any accumulated juices. Sprinkle liberally with powdered chile, top with Pickled Red Onions and strew with chopped cilantro. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Serve immediately. Makes about 8 servings as a snack or appetizer.

SHORTCUTS: Omit Pickled Red Onions OR replace with thinly sliced red onions (I'd toss them into the mix, rather than strewing them on top).

VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS: This recipe is flexible: It can be made with just jicama OR just cucumber; sliced young raw turnips make an interesting addition, as does sliced raw fennel, apple OR Asian pear. Oranges can easily be varied to grapefruit and tangerines, while powdered chile may be replaced with bottled hot sauce.

PICKLED RED ONIONS

These lively-flavored, crunchy, fuchsia-colored lovelies are the perfect condiment on everything from tacos to roast beef sandwiches.

1 small red onion, slTiced 1/8-inch-thick

Water

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

2 garlic cloves, halved

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cider vinegar

Blanch onion slices in boiling salted water 45 seconds, then drain and place in a medium bowl.

Coarsely grind peppercorns and cumin in a mortar or spice grinder and add to onion slices. Add remaining ingredients plus enough water to barely cover. Stir well and let stand several hours, until onion slices turn bright pink. Makes 1 generous cup.

ADVANCE PREPARATION: Covered and refrigerated, onion slices will keep a few weeks.

RUSTIC RANCH-STYLE SOUP WITH TOMATO,

JALAPENO AND AVOCADO

(Sopa Ranchera)

Once the garlic has concentrated and sweetened with the broth, this soup is ready in a flash. Salsa Mexicana flavors (tomato, green chile, onion) bubble for a few minutes in the garlicky liquid before it is topped with avocado and cilantro to yield a satisfying bowl that is perfect everyday fare. Add shreds of chicken to make it a main dish. 3 quarts rich chicken broth

1 large head garlic, unpeeled

1 large sprig fresh epazote (optional)

2 fresh jalapeno chiles, stemmed

1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 large ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice

Salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons, depending on saltiness of broth

3/4 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro

About 1 cup coarsely shredded cooked chicken (optional)

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 lime, cut into 6 to 8 wedges

Measure broth into a large 6-quart pot. Slice unpeeled head of garlic in 1/2 widthwise and add both halves to broth along with epazote. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium-low heat, patially covered, about 1 hour. Liquid should have reduced to about 7 cups. Remove galic and epazote and discard.

While broth is simmering, cut chiles in 1/2 lengthwise and cut out seed pod. Slice into vTery thin lengthwise strips and set aside with diced onion and tomatoes.

Generously season broth with salt, then add chiles and onion; partially cover and simmer 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, cilantro and chicken and simmer another 3 minutes, then ladle into warm bowls. Garnish with avocados. Serve and pass lime separately for each to squeeze in to their taste. Makes 8 cups; 6 to 8 servings.

MEXICAN RICE SUPPER

WITH CHORIZO,

ZUCCHINI AND CORN

(Arroz con Chorizo)

Here's a simple one-pot supper that combines the traditional flavors of chorizo and chopped tomato salsa in the homey confines of a good pot of rice. This was concocted for a class a few years ago, to show the uses of Essential Chopped Tomato-Serrano Salsa. Pair it with some dressed greens (or spinach salad), warm tortillas and, perhaps, a small bowl of beans, and you've got a supper to savor.

ESSENTIAL CHOPPED TOMATO-SERRANO SALSA:

12 ounces (2 medium-small round OR 4 to 6 plum) ripe tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch dice

Fresh serrano chiles to taste (roughly 3 to 5), stemmed, seeded if desired and finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, very finely chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus a little extra for garnish

1 small white onion, finely chopped

RICE:

8 ounces (about 1 cup) chorizo sausage, casing removed

1 cup uncooked rice, preferably medium grain

3/4 cup chicken OR beef broth OR water

Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon for salted broth, 1 teaspoon for unsalted broth OR water

2 small zucchini, cut into 3/8-inch dice

Kernels from 1 large ear corn (about 1 cup)

To make Essential Chopped Tomato-Serrano Salsa, mix together tomatoes, chiles, garlic and cilantro. Scoop onion into a strainer, rinse under cold water, shake off excess and add to mixture.

For Rice, break up chorizo into a 2- to 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan and set over medium heat. Stir regularly, breaking up any lumps, until sausage is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon,T then pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat. Add rice to pan, return to heat and stir regularly until rice is lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add salsa, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until very thick and reduced, about 7 minutes.

While mixture cooks, combine broth and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add to rice mixture, stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to side of pan, cover and cook over medium-low heat 10 minutes. Add cooked chorizo, zucchini and corn, recover and cook 5 minutes longer. Uncover and bite into a grain of rice: It should be nearly cooked through. If rice is just about ready, turn off heat, recover and let stand 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete cooking. If rice seems far from done, continue cooking 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off heat and let stand a few more minutes. Scoop into a warm bowl, sprinkle with cilantro and serve. Makes about 5 cups; 4 servings as a main dish.

ESSENTIAL CHOPPED TOMATO-SERRANO SALSA

(Salsa Mexicana Clasica)

The tenderness of ripe tomatoes against the crunch of raw onion, the tap dance of serranos backed up by aromatic cilantro, garlic and lime - this is Mexican cooking at its most beguiling.

Of course, Salsa Mexicana is best when each ingredient is perfect - from warm, just-picked tomatoes to green-tops on white onions - but don't miss the pleasure of this salsa even when the tomatoes are less than perfect. Chop everything with a sharp knife so nothing gets bruised and finely enough that the flavors really meld. Make your salsa within an hour or so of serving for great texture and vibrant flavors.

12 ounces (2 medium-small round OR 4 OR 5 plum) ripe tomatoes

Fresh serrano chiles to taste (roughly 3 to 5, 1/2 to 1 ounce total OR even more if desired picante), stemmed

About 1 dozen large sprigs cilantro

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped (optional)

1 small white onion

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

3/4 teaspoon salt

Core tomatoes, tThen cut in 1/2 widthwise and squeeze out seeds, if desired (it will give sauce a less rustic appearance). Finely dice flesh by slicing into roughly 1/4-inch-thick pieces, then cutting each slice into small dice. Scoop into a bowl.

Cut chiles in 1/2 lengthwise (wear gloves if your hands are sensitive to their piquancy) and scrape out seeds, if desired (not only will this make salsa seem less rustic, but it will make it a little less picante). Chop chiles very finely, then add to tomatoes. Carefully bunch up cilantro springs, and, with a sharp knife, slice 1/16-inch thick, stems and all, working from leafy end toward stems. Scoop into tomato mixture along with garlic.

Next, finely dice onion with a knife, scoop into a small strainer, then rinse under cold water. Shake to remove excess water and add to tomato mixture. Taste and season with lime juice and salt. Let stand a few minutes for flavors to meld. Makes about 2 cups.

GREAT SUMMER SUPPER: When making salsa, chop an extra 2 garlic cloves and 2 serranos and mix with 2 OR 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and a little grated lime peel. Use this mixture to marinate about 1 1/4 pounds trimmed skirt steak (to serve 4) for an hour, then charcoal-grill and serve with a liberal sprinkling of salsa.

SIMPLE CONFETTI PASTA: Make salsa without lime juice. Boil 12 ounces fresh pasta to serve 4, until al dente, drain, return to pan and drizzle on a little olive oil. Mix in salsa, tossing until everything is warm, then divide onto plates and sprinkle with finely crumbled Mexican queso anejo OR Parmesan cheese and chopped cilantro.

A DIFFERENT POTATO SALAD: Cube a pound of boiling potatoes and boil in salted water until just tender. Drain, and, while hot, gently toss with olive oil and a little mellow vinegar. When cool, gently stir in about 1 cup salsa and more cilantro, if desired.

CHIPOTLE SHRIMP (Camarones Enchipotlados)

These shrimp were a revelation the first time I bit into one. Spicy, garlicky, smoky and (like the best bearbecTued shrimp), not too saucy. You can pick them up with your fingers and pop them right into your mouth, one after another after another. They are wonderful party food. This shrimp dish is a great rendition of classic Veracruz cooking.

With classic white rice to serve alongside the shrimp, you'll have the perfect meal. And since they're good at room temperature, carry them on a picnic or pass around a platter sprinkled with chopped cilantro, as the starter for a great feast. This is beer food - icy Bohemia or Negra Modelo taste great here.

6 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 small white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick

6 ounces (1 medium-small OR 2 to 3 plum) ripe tomatoes

3/4 teaspoon black pepper (preferably freshly ground)

Water

1/8 teaspoon cloves (preferably freshly ground)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 to 4 tablespoons very finely chopped canned chipotle chiles, drained before chopping

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 pounds (about 50) medium-large shrimp

On an ungreased griddle or heavy skillet set over medium heat, roast garlic cloves, turning occasionally, until soft (they will blackened in spots), about 15 minutes. Cool and peel.

While garlic is roasting, lay onion out on a small square of foil, set griddle and let sear, brown and soften, about 5 minutes per side.

Roast tomatoes on a baking sheet set 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened in spots and soft, about 6 minutes; flip and roast on other side. Cool and peel, collecting all juices with tomatoes.

Combine all roasted ingredients in a food processor or blender, along with pepper, cloves and 1/4 cup water. Process to a medium-smooth puree.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot enough to make a drop of puree sizzle noisily, add all at once. Stir several minutes as mixture sears and darkens, then reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring regularly, until very thick, about 5 minutes. A tablespoon at a time, stir in chopped chipotles, tasting untiTl the thick salsa suites your taste for spiciness. (I think these are best when they've reached upper levels of heat.) Taste, season with salt and remove from heat.

Peel shrimp, leaving final joint and tail intact. One at a time, devein shrimp by laying flat on a work surface and making a shallow incision down back, exposing (usually) dark intestinal tract and scraping out.

Return skillet with sauce to medium-high heat. Add shrimp, then slowly stir and turn for about 3 to 4 minutes, until shrimp are just cooked through. (Sauce should coat shrimp, though it won't pool around.) Taste a shrimp, sprinkle on a little more salt if necessary, then pile up on a rustic platter and serve. Makes 6 generous servings.

VARIATION AND IMPROVISATIONS: You can take this same approach with scallops (preferably medium-size for even cooking with this method) OR with beef (grill about 2 pounds of anything tender enough to be a grillable steak, cut into 3/4-inch cubes, toss with warm sauce and serve). For a casserole to serve on a buffet, toss sauce with roasted potatoes or spread on grilled eggplant, sprinkle with melting cheese and place under preheated broiler until bubbly and brown.

YUCATECAN-STYLE FRESH COCONUT PIE

(Pay de Coco, Estilo Yucateco)

I can easily get rapturous about dense fresh coconut stuck together with a little richness, packed into a nutty crust and baked to caramely brown. It's all texture and tender freshness, unlike anything you could make from desiccated packaged coconut. Yes, it is work to hull, peel and grate the coconut, but the payoff is enormous.

Pay de Coco is a Yucatecan specialty I first tasted in Merida, where it was stuck together with sweetened condensed milk. Though there are cultural and historical reasons to use the canned product, I decided to make my own condensed sweetness in order to utilize the water from inside the fresh coconut.

The pie has other virtues: It can be made several days ahead and it travels well (it's not at all fragile). Just rewarm Tit before serving to restore all the unctuous goodness.

CRUST:

1 cup (4 ounces) slivered almonds

3 tablespoons sugar

4 ounces (about 5 slices) firm white bread, torn into pieces (OR 2 cups fine, fresh bread crumbs)

3 1/2 tablespoons (about 1 3/4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

PIE FILLING:

1 medium-size coconut with lots of liquid inside

1 cup whipping cream

2/3 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup creme fraiche OR sour cream thinned with a little milk, for serving

For Crust, toast almonds on a baking sheet in preheated 325-degree oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool; set 1/2 cup almonds aside.

In a food processor, pulverize remaining almonds with sugar. Add bread and pulse until reduced to fine crumbs. Drizzle in melted butter and pulse to mix thoroughly. Evenly pat mixture over bottom and up sides of a 3/4-inch deep, 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Refrigerate several minutes to set.

For Filling, twist a corkscrew (or drive an ice pick or screwdriver) into 2 of coconut's ``eyes'' (dark indentations on one end), then drain trapped liquid into a cup (strain if it contains any bits of coconut shell). Place coconut on a baking sheet and put in oven about 15 minutes to help loosen flesh from shell.

With a hammer, crack coconut in several pieces, then use a small knife or screwdriver to pry flesh from shell. Use a paring knife or vegetable peeler to peel away dark brown skin. In a food processor (or using a four-sided grater), grate coconut into medium-fine shreds. Measure out 2 1/2 cups for pie; reserve remainder for garnish.

Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F. In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan, combine coconut water, cream and sugar. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced to 1 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a large bowl, then stir in 2 1/2 cups coconut, reserved 1/2 cup almonds, egg yolks and vanilla.

Set prepared crust onto a baking sheet, Tscoop in coconut filling. Bake in middle of oven until set and lightly browned on top, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

While pie is baking, toast reserved coconut on a baking sheet in oven, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 7 to 10 minutes.

It's easiest to cut pie when cool (easier still when refrigerated), so cool or chill, then cut. Then warm cut pieces in preheated 350-degree oven about 10 minutes. Top with a dollop of thick cream and a sprinkling of toasted coconut as garnish. Makes 1 (9-inch) tart; 8 servings.

VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS: If you have tart pans, you can make these small (you will need extra crust mixture - make double) to put out onto a dessert buffet. Almonds can be replaced with other nuts (hazelnuts and macadamias are particulaly good), and, if desired, finished pie can be drizzled with melted chocolate.

Spotlight on

RICK BAYLESS

Age: 43.

Profession: Cookbook author and teacher; chef and restaurateur. Co-owner with his wife of the restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, both in Chicago.

Hometown: Oklahoma City.

Food background: Self-taught. Bayless has been dabbling in the kitchen since childhood. He once worked from age 6 through young adulthood in his parents' barbecue restaurant in Oklahoma City, which they owned for 35 years, and he was one of the main cooks at home, too. By the time he was 10 he was checking ethnic cookbooks out of the library, and during the summertime he made entire ethnic dinners. He lived for five years in Mexico, where he learned to cook from the natives while researching his first cookbook.

Most popular dish he makes: Grilled Steak With Spicy Guajillo Chile Sauce and Red Onions; also Crepes of Huitlacoche, a mysterious-looking ``mushroom'' that grows right out of the ear of corn, often referred to as corn smut.

Secret food passion: Street tacos in Mexico and Chicago - the kind you eat standing up.

Favorite thing to cook and eat: Pizza.

Favorite junk food: DoughTnuts.

Favorite kitchen gadget: A mortar.

Pet peeve: People who are pretentious.

Favorite cookbook: His two favorites are ``Chez Panisse Cooking'' and ``From Julia Child's Kitchen.''

Favorite restaurant: Chez Panisse - he likes both the upstairs cafe and the downstairs restaurant - in Berkeley.

Ideal vacation: To go to a country he's never been before, eating and exploring and visiting great markets along the way.

What does he do when not cooking?: ``I am an avid art collector, and I love going to galleries,'' Bayless said. He also likes exploring ethnic neighborhoods and antique stores with his 5-year-old daughter, Lanie.

If he couldn't be an author, chef and restaurateur, what would he be?: A decorative artist of some sort. He loves doing interiors; he did theinteriors of both of his restaurants.

Dream job: ``I have it,'' he said. But, he added that he really wishes he could have a place where he could serve dinner two nights a week, have time to write, and teach cooking classes every week.

Worst kitchen disaster: When he was catering a party in a client's home during graduate school, and the huge, beautiful puff pastry-wrapped fish stuffed with a mushroom filling cracked apart in the oven. It looked like a mess. Bayless cut some of the puff pastry off the top, then flipped it over, putting the flat and crispy bottom on top, and put puff-pastry cutouts on the new top. Clueless guests thought it looked great.

If he could dine with anyone current or historical, who would it be?: The late Josefina Velasquez De Leon, a cookbook author from Mexico, who died in the late '60s. ``She was like the Julia Child of Mexico, wrote more than 100 cookbooks (starting in the '30s) and had a television show,'' noted Bayless. ``She had the foresight to see that Mexican food had great integrity, and wrote a cookbook on the food of each of Mexico's 26 states.''

Most memorable meal: ``Usually it's my last one,'' Bayless said.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--Color) Chef and restauTrateur Rick Bayless shares two dishes - Chipotle Shrimp and Rustic Jicama Appetizer - that would make good Cinco de Mayo fare. Both are from his latest cookbook.

(2) Chipotle Shrimp is a delicious dish from Rick Bayless' new cookbook.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News

Box: Spotlight On RICK BAYLESS (See Text)