Recipe Manuscript

Carnero En Jitomate

Name: Carnero En Jitomate
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H30M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg lamb (boneless leg or shoulder, or mutton if available); 700 g ripe tomatoes; 2 medium onions; 1 bunch fresh parsley (about 15 g); 1/2 tsp black peppercorns; 2 whole cloves or a pinch of ground clove; 2 tbsp (30 ml) red wine vinegar; 60 ml olive oil; 2-3 fresh small chili peppers (or substitute with 1-2 tsp dried chili flakes); 70 g pitted green olives; Salt, to taste; Eggs (for optional caldillo variation—1 per serving)

"Lamb In Tomato"

1901

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Manuscripts B. Patoni

Unknown Author

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Beginner Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1901

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Carnero En Jitomate

"Se cuece el carnero, se lavan los jitomates se machacan con la mano. Se le hechan cebollas cocidas, peregil, pimienta, clavo, vinagre, aceite vastante, chilitas y aceitunas. Tambien sirve en caldillo para guisar los huevos, con la diferencia, de que estos se frien, en el mismo caldillo, y ya que esta puesto en el platon, se a horna con chilitas y aceitunas."

English Translation

"The lamb is cooked, the tomatoes are washed and crushed by hand. Add cooked onions, parsley, pepper, cloves, vinegar, plenty of oil, small chilies, and olives. It also works as a broth to cook eggs, with the difference being that the eggs are fried in the same broth, and once placed on the platter, they are garnished with small chilies and olives."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this era were typically written in a direct, almost conversational tone, listing steps and ingredients together rather than in separate sections as is modern custom. Quantities were imprecise and open to interpretation, reflecting an expectation of kitchen intuition and experience—terms like 'aceite vastante' ('enough oil') signal this flexibility. The original Spanish spelling and grammar may feature colloquial forms or variant spellings, such as 'cebollas cocidas' for boiled onions or 'chilitas' for small chilies. These manuscripts served as personal memory aids more than instructional texts, often referencing familiar processes without elaborate detail.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Manuscripts B. Patoni - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Manuscripts B. Patoni (1901)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1901

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful scramble of handwritten Mexican recipes from the early 1900s, this collection unveils old-world treasures like albóndigas reales, frituras, and fricasé. Alongside these traditional gems, a folded, blue-inked page introduces the reader to American-inspired treats such as 'bisquits' and 'galletas rápidas'. Perfect for culinary explorers with a taste for history and a dash of adventure.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from a handwritten Mexican cookbook dated to 1901 and represents a fascinating snapshot of domestic cuisine at the dawn of the twentieth century in Mexico. During this period, cooks drew upon both Indigenous and European influences, merging local meats like carnero (lamb or mutton) with Mediterranean ingredients such as olives and olive oil. Tomatoes, chilies, and parsley reflect the vibrant produce of the region. Recipes were often passed down orally or recorded in personal family notebooks, emphasizing flexibility and adaptation according to household supplies. The inclusion of variants, such as the optional egg 'caldillo,' illustrates the versatility expected of home cooks in Mexico’s early modern kitchens.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditional kitchen tools at the turn of the twentieth century in Mexico included clay or metal stew pots (ollas or cazuelas) set over wood or charcoal stoves. Cooks crushed tomatoes and herbs by hand or with a stone mortar and pestle (molcajete), while meats simmered gently in lidded pots. Simple knives, wooden spoons, and clay serving platters were standard equipment, with the final dish often finished and served directly from the cooking vessel. Eggs, if used, would be fried in the simmering sauce either in the main pot or a metal frying pan placed over the fire.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2.2 lb lamb (boneless leg or shoulder, or mutton if available)
1.5 lb ripe tomatoes
2 medium onions
1 bunch fresh parsley (about 0.5 oz)
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
2 whole cloves or a pinch of ground clove
2 tbsp (2 fl oz) red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2-3 fresh small chili peppers (or substitute with 1-2 tsp dried chili flakes)
2.5 oz pitted green olives
Salt, to taste
Eggs (for optional caldillo variation—1 per serving)

Instructions

Begin by simmering approximately 2.2 pounds of lamb in water until tender—boneless shoulder or leg work well.
While the meat cooks, wash 1.5 pounds of ripe tomatoes and crush them loosely by hand or with a potato masher, preserving as much juice as possible.
Softly boil 2 medium onions, finely chop, and add to the tomatoes.
Blend in 1 small bunch of fresh parsley, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, and 2 whole cloves (or a pinch of ground clove).
Mix in 2 tablespoons (2 fl oz) of red wine vinegar and a generous 1/4 cup of olive oil.
Stir in 2-3 chopped fresh chili peppers (or your favorite small hot chilies to taste) and a handful (about 2.5 ounces) of pitted green olives.
Combine this mixture with the cooked lamb and its broth, simmering gently so flavors meld.
Optionally, for the variant with eggs, prepare the tomato-onion sauce as above, then gently fry eggs in the hot mixture before serving, garnishing with extra chilies and olives atop the final dish.

Estimated Calories

450 per serving

Cooking Estimates

We estimate about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 1.5 hours to cook the lamb and meld the flavors. Each serving has about 450 calories, and the recipe makes 6 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.