Recipe Manuscript

Sopa De Avellanas

Name: Sopa De Avellanas
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 6-8 thin slices of white bread (approx. 200g); 2-3 tbsp unsalted butter (or substitute lard/traditional manteca); 100g smoked ham, sliced; 100g cooked chicken gizzards, sliced; 100g cooked chicken livers, sliced; 50g hazelnuts, toasted and skinned; 1L chicken stock; 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced; 40g spicy chorizo sausage, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

"Hazelnut Soup"

1910

From the treasured pages of Resetas de Cocina: Refrescos, Reposteria, Dulces

Written by Cármen Volante

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

Original Recipe • 1910

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

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

Sopa De Avellanas

"Se rebana pan muy delgado se dora al comal y después en manteca. Se hacen tajadas de jamon, higado y molleja de gallina todo cocido; se tuestan un puñado de avellanas que se pelan, se muelen y se echan en una cazuela con caldo de gallina que se para hervir. En otra cazuela se va poniendo una cama de pan, otra de jamon, otra de mollejas, otra de pan, otra de higados, y de este modo se llena la cazuela echandole el caldo de avellanas suficiente, se tapa la cazuela y se deja hervir: para llevarla á la mesa se adorna por encima con huevos duros rebanados, chorizon y un poco de perejil picado."

English Translation

"Very thin slices of bread are cut, toasted on the griddle, and then in lard. Slices of ham, liver, and chicken gizzard are prepared, all cooked; a handful of hazelnuts are toasted, peeled, ground, and added to a pot with chicken broth which is brought to a boil. In another pot, a layer of bread is placed, then a layer of ham, a layer of gizzards, another of bread, another of livers, and so on until the pot is filled, pouring enough hazelnut broth over it. The pot is covered and left to simmer; before serving, it is garnished on top with sliced hard-boiled eggs, sausage, and a bit of chopped parsley."

Note on the Original Text

Written in compact, narrative style, the instructions assume a reader already comfortable in the kitchen—measurements are by handfuls and visual cues, not strict weights, and the order is determined more by ingredient prep than by a strict sequence of actions. Some spelling and terminology point to early 20th-century conventions: 'manteca' is used for fat (here, likely pork lard), 'caldo' for stock, and 'cazuela' for a ceramic or iron pan. The style emphasizes process and assembly over precise timing or temperature control, typical of manuscript recipes before mass-market cookbooks standardized culinary instruction.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Resetas de Cocina: Refrescos, Reposteria, Dulces - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Resetas de Cocina: Refrescos, Reposteria, Dulces (1910)

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

Writer

Cármen Volante

Era

1910

Publisher

Unknown

Background

An enchanting early 20th-century manuscript cookbook filled with delightful recipes and menus, including Brazilian tarts, inventive egg dishes, savory chicken pies, and sweet yolk cookies—each page a celebration of culinary tradition and creativity.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This savory soup hails from the manuscript cookbook 'Resetas de Cocina: Refrescos, Reposteria, Dulces,' written by Carmen Volante in 1910, at the dawn of Mexico's revolutionary decade. Early 20th-century Mexican cuisine was a rich tapestry of European, indigenous, and Creole influences, with handwritten cookbooks treasured and handed down as markers of domestic skill and personal taste. The presence of nuts and fowl—ingredients carried over from 18th and 19th-century European traditions—speak of festive, upper-class tables. Yet the labor-intensive process and use of chicken offal and pantry staples suggest resourcefulness and a thrifty, celebratory home kitchen.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original recipe would have relied on several key tools: a comal (traditional Mexican griddle) for toasting bread, an iron pot or cazuela for simmering the soup and assembling the layers, a mortar and pestle for grinding the hazelnuts, and a sharp knife for slicing cured meats and eggs. Eggs were hard-boiled in a pot over a wood or coal stove, and baking or gentle simmering would have occurred on the hearth or stovetop rather than in a modern oven.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 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

6-8 thin slices of white bread (approx. 7 oz)
2-3 tbsp unsalted butter (or substitute lard/traditional manteca)
3.5 oz smoked ham, sliced
3.5 oz cooked chicken gizzards, sliced
3.5 oz cooked chicken livers, sliced
1.75 oz hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
4 1/4 cups chicken stock
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1.5 oz spicy chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Begin by slicing a hearty white bread into thin slices.
Toast these slices lightly on a hot dry skillet (comal), then fry them in about 2-3 tablespoons of butter (as a substitute for the lard-based 'manteca').
Next, cook 7 ounces of chicken giblets (liver and gizzard) and 3.5 ounces of ham until tender—either by boiling or poaching as you would for soup.
Toast 1.75 ounces of hazelnuts in a dry pan, remove their skins, and grind them finely.
Add the ground hazelnuts to 4 1/4 cups of rich chicken stock and bring to a simmer for a few minutes so the flavors meld.
In a deep baking dish or casserole, layer toasted bread, then slices of ham, then pieces of gizzard, more bread, and then the livers—repeating until the dish is full or you run out.
Pour the hot hazelnut-infused stock over the whole, letting it soak through.
Cover and gently simmer on the stove or bake at low heat for about 15-20 minutes until all is warmed through.
To finish, top with slices of hard-boiled eggs, a scatter of thinly sliced spicy sausage (like Spanish chorizo), and some chopped fresh parsley.
Serve immediately.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients, including slicing, toasting, and cooking. The dish then cooks for another 20 minutes in the oven. Each serving has about 350 calories, and the 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.