Recipe Manuscript

Suisado De Gallinas

Name: Suisado De Gallinas
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT35M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 50 grams whole almonds, skin-on; 30 grams butter (for toasting almonds); 3-4 medium tomatoes (approx. 400 grams); 1 whole clove; 1 stick cinnamon (5 cm length); 8-10 black peppercorns; 30 grams bread (preferably day-old, for frying); additional butter for frying bread; 800 grams hen (or chicken) pieces, poached; 400 ml chicken broth (from cooking the hen); 50 ml dry white wine

"Chicken Stew"

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

Suisado De Gallinas

"Se tuestan almendras con cascara en manteca, y jitomates, esto se muele con clavo, canela y pimienta un pedaso de pan tambien frito, despues se vuelve a guis y se le hecha caldo de las mismas gallinas, procurando que la salsa quede espesita se le hecha la gallina y un poquito de vino blanco."

English Translation

"Almonds with skin are toasted in butter, along with tomatoes; these are ground together with cloves, cinnamon, and pepper, as well as a piece of bread that has also been fried. Then it is cooked again and broth from the chickens is added, making sure the sauce is nice and thick. The chicken is added along with a little white wine."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe’s original style is terse and direct, designed for a cook already comfortable in the kitchen. Measurements are absent or ambiguous, and instructions are all in one breath—a hallmark of handwritten recipes passed down orally or within families. Spelling may deviate from current conventions ('jitomates' for tomatoes), and accent marks are omitted, typical for the period and region. This methodology reflects the practical, hands-on culture of historical Mexican kitchens, where precise instruction was less important than sensory cues and inherited know-how.

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 is a deliciously evocative glimpse into the early 20th-century kitchens of Mexico. Penned in a handwritten cookbook from 1901, this 'Suisado de Gallinas' highlights the blending of Spanish and Indigenous culinary traditions through its creative use of almonds, spices, local tomatoes, and poached hen. The manuscript itself is a culinary time capsule, filled with home cooking secrets, handwritten by an unknown cook, and tucked among brown paper wraps along with other beloved regional classics. The recipe reflects a period just before Mexico’s modernisation took hold, when cooking was still characterized by measured tradition, oral transmission, and local adaptation. This saucy stew links directly to festive or family gatherings, where such a hearty, aromatic dish would be enjoyed communally.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In its original form, this dish would have been prepared over a wood or charcoal fire, using heavy clay or cast-iron pots. Almonds and bread would be toasted or fried in a deep skillet. Grinding of nuts and spices would be accomplished with a traditional stone metate or molcajete. Roasted tomatoes, cloves, cinnamon, and peppercorns would be manually ground to a paste, and everything simmered together in earthenware. The hen itself would likely have been stewed in a large olla with just enough water to create a broth.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

35 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

1 3/4 ounces whole almonds, skin-on
1 ounce butter (for toasting almonds)
3-4 medium tomatoes (approx. 14 ounces)
1 whole clove
1 stick cinnamon (2 inch length)
8-10 black peppercorns
1 ounce bread (preferably day-old, for frying)
additional butter for frying bread
1 3/4 pounds hen (or chicken) pieces, poached
1 2/3 cups chicken broth (from cooking the hen)
3 tablespoons dry white wine

Instructions

Start by toasting about 1 3/4 ounces of whole almonds (skins on) in 2 tablespoons (about 1 ounce) of butter until golden and fragrant.
Separately, roast 3-4 medium ripe tomatoes (approximately 14 ounces) until their skins blister and they become soft.
In a mortar or food processor, grind the toasted almonds with the grilled tomatoes, a clove, a 2-inch stick of cinnamon, and 8-10 whole black peppercorns.
Add to this a slice (about 1 ounce) of bread fried lightly in additional butter until golden, and blend everything together into a thick paste.
Return the mixturre to a pot over medium-low heat, and add approximately 1 2/3 cups of homemade chicken broth from poached hen, stirring to ensure the sauce thickens.
Once thick and aromatic, add the cooked pieces of hen (about 1 3/4 pounds, poached and cut into portions) and a splash (about 3 tablespoons) of dry white wine.
Let everything simmer gently for 10-15 minutes until the flavors have melded and the sauce is thick enough to coat the poultrey.

Estimated Calories

470 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will toast the almonds and fry bread, roast tomatoes, simmer chicken with sauce, and blend ingredients. Prep involves gathering and chopping ingredients, poaching the chicken, and preparing everything for cooking. Calories are estimated per serving with 4 portions from this recipe.

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.