Truly Mexican (2011)

A whole book about sauces, and that is exactly why it belongs here. Roberto Santibañez, a Mexico City native and Cordon Bleu-trained chef, works from salsas and guacamoles up through adobos, pipianes and moles, then shows what to cook with each. Once you understand how these sauces are built, half of Mexican cooking opens up, because so many dishes are a good sauce plus whatever meat or vegetables you have. It opens with a solid chapter on ingredients, technique and equipment, so it works even if you have never toasted a chile.