Recipe Manuscript

Puré Condé

Name: Puré Condé
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT1H30M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 kg red kidney beans (judías encarnadas; substitute: any starchy red bean); 1 whole onion, peeled; 1 carrot, peeled; 2–3 bay leaves; 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme; A small bunch of fresh parsley; 1 liter beef stock (high quality, unsalted if possible); Salt, to taste; Day-old white bread, cut in small cubes (for croutons); Oil or butter (for frying croutons)

"Condé Purée"

1904

From the treasured pages of Cuaderno de Carmen Volante

Written by Cármen Volante

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)European Intermediate Lunch Dinner

Original Recipe • 1904

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

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

Puré Condé

"Póngase a cocer en agua fría un kilo de judías encarnadas, con una cebolla, zanahoria, un manojo de laurel, tomillo y perejil atados estos tres últimos en un manojo. Cuando estén cocidas se escurren y se pasan por un cedazo y luego por estameña. Se añade a estas un litro de buen caldo de carne y se pone al fuego para que levante sin llegar a hervir. Pónese bien y sirvase con costrones de pan fritos. Del mismo modo se hace el puré de judías blancas."

English Translation

"Put one kilo of red beans to cook in cold water, with an onion, a carrot, and a bunch of bay leaf, thyme, and parsley tied together. When they are cooked, drain them and pass them through a sieve and then through muslin. Add to this one liter of good beef broth and put it on the heat to bring it up without letting it boil. Season well and serve with fried bread croutons. Purée of white beans is made in the same way."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the brief, imperative style typical of early 20th century Spanish manuscript cookbooks, assuming that the reader already possessed practical kitchen knowledge. Cooking times, measurements, and proportions are imprecise by modern standards, often relying on experience and individual taste. Archaic terms such as 'cedazo' (sieve) and 'estameña' (muslin cloth) appear, reflecting both available technology and a culinary preference for ultra-smooth textures in puréed dishes. Spelling and ingredients have remained recognizable, though the everyday bean varieties and stock bases have shifted with time.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cuaderno de Carmen Volante - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cuaderno de Carmen Volante (1904)

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

Writer

Cármen Volante

Era

1904

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A handwritten culinary treasure from 1904, this manuscript brims with delicious soups, salsas, tantalizing meat entrées, embutidos, fresh fish, irresistible desserts, preserves, cakes, and refreshing drinks. Each page tempts with recipes sure to inspire any gourmet’s imagination.

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 twentieth-century Spanish manuscript cookbook compiled by Carmen Volante in 1904, housed within a broader collection of traditional culinary formulas. At this time, handwritten cookbooks circulated among households, often passed down through women and adapted according to local and familial tastes. 'Puré Condé' reflects both the domestic practicality and the genteel refinement of middle-to-upper class Spanish kitchens in the early 1900s. The emphasis on sieving the cooked beans several times speaks to a cultural ideal of elegance and smoothness in presentation, even in humble ingredients like beans.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, this purée would have been made with a large clay or iron pot over a wood or coal-fired stove. The beans and aromatics simmered slowly, attended with care. Once tender, the beans would be laboriously pressed through a wire sieve (cedazo) and then a fine cloth (estameña, a delicate, tightly-woven muslin), a process requiring both patience and arm strength. Croutons were fried in a heavy pan, often over the same stove. Everything was cooked and assembled using simple but sturdy kitchen tools common to Spanish kitchens of the era.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 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 red kidney beans (judías encarnadas; substitute: any starchy red bean)
1 whole onion, peeled
1 carrot, peeled
2–3 bay leaves
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
A small bunch of fresh parsley
1 quart (4 cups) beef stock (high quality, unsalted if possible)
Salt, to taste
Day-old white bread, cut in small cubes (for croutons)
Oil or butter (for frying croutons)

Instructions

Begin by placing 2.2 pounds of red kidney beans (judías encarnadas) in a large pot with cold water.
Add one whole peeled onion, one peeled carrot, and a bouquet garni made by tying together a few bay leaves, several sprigs of fresh thyme, and parsley.
Bring the beans and aromatics to a gentle simmer and cook until the beans are tender—this can take 1 to 1.5 hours depending on the age of the beans.
Once cooked, drain the beans, discarding the bouquet garni and vegetables.
Pass the beans through a fine mesh sieve or food mill for a silky texture, then push through a clean muslin cloth (or fine cheesecloth) for an even finer purée.
Place the purée in a clean pot and stir in 1 quart (4 cups) of good quality beef stock.
Heat the mixture gently, stirring often, until hot but below boiling point.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed.
Serve hot, accompanied by small cubes of bread (costrones) fried until golden in a bit of oil or butter.
A similar process can be followed using white beans instead of red, to create a puré de judías blancas.

Estimated Calories

300 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients, and 1 to 1.5 hours to cook the beans until tender. Each serving is roughly 300 calories. The recipe makes about 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.