Salza De Alcaparras

This recipe hails from Manuela Heredia y Cervantes's 1886 Mexican culinary manuscript—a handwritten treasure trove capturing the flavors of 19th-century home kitchens. The notebook reflects a moment in Mexican food history when traditional European elements (like capers) mingled seamlessly with indigenous tastes and local ingredients. Such recipes show how cosmopolitan Mexican cuisine had become by the late 1800s, balancing old-world techniques with new-world produce and creativity. This particular sauce would have brightened up a family roast, offering a punch of caper and garlic against the rich savoriness of meat—a nod to both colonial and evolving Mexican foodways.

Back then, a sturdy stone mortar and pestle (molcajete) or a sharp kitchen knife would have been used to finely chop or crush capers, garlic, and parsley. The meat itself was most likely roasted in a clay or cast-iron vessel placed in a wood-fired oven, or over open coals, with care taken to baste and turn the meat for even cooking. For serving, the pan juices would be poured directly over the roast as a sauce.