Recipe Manuscript

Fricasé

Name: Fricasé
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken (about 1.2 kg), roasted and cut into pieces; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 4 tablespoons (60 ml) olive oil; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) red wine vinegar, plus 1 tablespoon (15 ml) for the eggs; 100 ml dry white wine; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 egg yolks

"Fricassee"

1901

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Manuscripts B. Patoni

Unknown Author

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate 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

Fricasé

"Ya asados los pollos, se frie cebolla ajos oregano, y lleva luengo con un poco de vinagre, vino y aceite y se hierve con este caldo pimienta y canela, en este caldo se hecha el pollo en pedasos se baten dos yemas de huevo con vinagre, pero antes de comerse hechan en el guisado O se revuelve muy bien y de ay se baja un rato."

English Translation

"Once the chickens are roasted, fry onion, garlic, and oregano, then add a little vinegar, wine, and oil and boil this broth with pepper and cinnamon. In this broth, add the chicken in pieces. Beat two egg yolks with vinegar, but before eating, pour them into the stew or mix very well and then remove from heat for a while."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe was written in a conversational, almost shorthand style, reflective of kitchen notes rather than formal, publishable recipes. Spelling and punctuation are unstandardized—words like 'luengo' (from 'luego', then) and 'hechan' (for 'echan', they put) highlight regional spellings and spoken conventions of the time. Quantities are imprecise, suggesting cooks were expected to rely on their experience and taste. Modern interpretation requires careful attention to culinary intuition—and, with a playful heart, a willingness to improvise, just as cooks did over a century ago.

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 an early 20th-century Mexican manuscript, penned in 1901 by an anonymous cook. During this period, Mexican house cooks blended techniques from colonial Spanish traditions, local indigenous practices, and the vibrant, ever-evolving cosmopolitan Mexican cuisine. Recipes like this 'fricasé' reflect a kitchen not yet formalized by printed cookbooks, but rather alive with personal touches and oral tradition. Handwritten in a collection whose pages bear the marks of daily kitchen use, this recipe stands alongside traditional preparations such as 'albondigas reales' and 'conejo en hoya', showcasing both the European influence on Mexican cuisine and the practicality of household cooking.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks of the time would have prepared this dish over a wood or charcoal stove, using heavy clay cazuelas or iron pans. Roasting might have been done in a masonry oven or over open coals. Chopping would have been with carbon-steel knives on wooden boards, and beating egg yolks done with a small hand whisk or fork. Liquids were measured by eye or with household measures like a cup or spoon, inherited through family use. Serving dishes were often traditional glazed pottery, and dishes were kept warm in the hearth's gentle residual heat.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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

1 whole chicken (about 2.6 lbs), roasted and cut into pieces
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) olive oil
3 tablespoons (1.5 fl oz) red wine vinegar, plus 1 tablespoon (0.5 fl oz) for the eggs
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 egg yolks

Instructions

Start by roasting one whole chicken (about 2.6 lbs) until cooked through and lightly golden.
Allow it to cool, then cut it into serving pieces.
In a large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) olive oil.
Add 1 medium onion, finely chopped, and 2 garlic cloves, minced.
Sauté until translucent.
Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon dried oregano and stir for a minute.
Deglaze the pan with 3 tablespoons (1.5 fl oz) red wine vinegar and 1/3 cup dry white wine.
Season with 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and a good pinch (1/4 teaspoon) ground cinnamon.
Let everything simmer for a few minutes, then add the chicken pieces and gently stir to coat, ensuring the chicken is warmed through in the flavorful broth.
In a small bowl, beat 2 egg yolks with another splash (about 1 tablespoon / 0.5 fl oz) red wine vinegar.
Off the heat, slowly stir some hot sauce from the pan into the yolks to temper, then return this mixture to the pan and stir well until the sauce becomes silky and just thickened.
Serve immediately.

Estimated Calories

470 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will need about 15 minutes to get your ingredients ready and around 1 hour to roast and finish cooking the chicken in the sauce. Each serving has about 470 calories. This recipe makes 4 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.