Recipe Manuscript

Escabeche De Bagre

Name: Escabeche De Bagre
Prep time: PTPT2H30M
Cook time: PTPT50M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1-1.5 kg catfish, whole or cut into serving pieces; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; 3 limes, juiced; 200 g all-purpose wheat flour, for dredging; 500 ml lard (or sunflower oil if preferred), for frying; 165 ml strong white vinegar; 330 ml dry white wine; 10 whole black peppercorns; 3 whole cloves; 1 stick cinnamon; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced; 10 orange leaves (or 5 bay leaves as substitute); 2 oranges, sliced into rounds; water and 1 teaspoon salt (to poach orange slices)

"Catfish Escabeche"

1900

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Manuscripts: A Family Collection

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1900

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Escabeche De Bagre

"Despues de limpio de lo azul, con ceniza y un ladrillo estando ya destripado y labado. Si fuere grande se partira en trozos, y si chico asi entero se pondra a desflemar con sal y limon; a las dos horas se labara y se umbolvera bien en harina; se freira en manteca, y al dia siguiente se hace el Caldillo con un tanto de vinagre fuerte, y dos de vino blanco, se echa pimienta, clavo, canela, gengibre, hojas de Naranjo y unas ruedas de Naranja cocidas con agua y sal; y a los tres dias esta ya bueno para hacer uso de el; pero mientras mas tiempo mejor."

English Translation

"After cleaning off the blue skin, using ash and a brick, and once it is already gutted and washed: If it is large, cut it into pieces, and if small, leave it whole to soak with salt and lemon; after two hours, wash it and coat it well in flour; fry it in lard, and the next day make the broth with a portion of strong vinegar and two portions of white wine, add pepper, clove, cinnamon, ginger, orange leaves, and some slices of orange previously cooked in water and salt; after three days it is ready to use, but the longer it sits the better."

Note on the Original Text

The language of this recipe reflects the direct, oral tradition of early 20th-century manuscript cookbooks—written in the imperative, with minimal punctuation and casual assumptions about the cook's knowledge. Measurements are relative rather than exact: 'a tanto' for vinegar, 'dos de vino' for white wine, and so on, presupposing a practiced hand. Spelling deviations, like 'labado' for 'lavado' or 'desflemar' for 'desflemar' (to remove strong odor), are common, as regional dialect shapes the text. The sequence stresses process over timing, and expects the cook to adjust and improvise. It's a beautiful reminder that recipe writing once flowed from shared memory and custom, not strict prescription.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Manuscripts: A Family Collection - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Manuscripts: A Family Collection (1900)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1900

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Gracefully penned in elegant calligraphy, this volume brings together four cherished family manuscripts from Toluca, Mexico, offering a sumptuous selection of traditional recipes. Delight in the culinary heritage of Mole Poblano, Tapado de nopales, and more, all served with a generous dash of ancestral flavor and timeless technique.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe for Escabeche de Bagre comes from a 1905 family manuscript collection in Toluca, Mexico—a region known for embracing both indigenous and European influences in its cuisine. These carefully written cookbooks were household treasures, blending native ingredients like catfish and citrus with European preservation techniques such as escabeche, a vinegar-based marinade brought by the Spanish. Such manuscripts embody more than recipes: they document evolving domestic traditions, adapting time-honored preservation methods with new flavors from the Old World, and illustrate the close-knit nature of family cooking in Mexico's postcolonial society. The escabeche technique, in particular, highlighted the ongoing interplay between practicality (preserving fish in times before refrigeration) and the desire for festivity and flavor.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Turn-of-the-century cooks would have used a sharp kitchen knife and a rough brick or pumice stone for skinning, and ash from a wood fire as a cleaning agent. Fish would be marinated in large clay or glazed ceramic dishes to withstand the acidic vinegar marinade. Cast-iron or copper pans were used for frying in rendered lard. Mortar and pestle ground the spices, and a wooden spoon or ladle stirred the caldillo. The finished dish was kept cool in a pantry, cellar, or icebox. In the modern kitchen, replace the brick and ash with food-safe scrubbing pads and baking soda, move to stainless steel knives and bowls, and use a refrigerator for safe, extended marinating.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

2 hrs 30 mins

Cook Time

50 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

2.2–3.3 lb catfish, whole or cut into serving pieces
2 tablespoons kosher salt
3 limes, juiced
7 oz all-purpose wheat flour, for dredging
2 cups lard (or sunflower oil if preferred), for frying
2/3 cup strong white vinegar
1 1/3 cups dry white wine
10 whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, thinly sliced
10 orange leaves (or 5 bay leaves as substitute)
2 oranges, sliced into rounds
water and 1 teaspoon salt (to poach orange slices)

Instructions

Begin by cleaning the catfish thoroughly, using either baking soda and a scrubbing pad to remove any slimy skin and the blueish membrane—these stand in for the traditional use of ash and a brick.
Gut and wash the fish.
If the fish is large, cut into manageable pieces; if small, leave whole.
Generously salt the fish and rub with fresh lime juice, allowing it to marinate for two hours to draw out excess liquid and any strong odors.
Rinse the fish, then dredge each piece well in wheat flour.
In a heavy skillet, heat lard or a neutral oil (such as sunflower oil if lard is unavailable) and fry the fish pieces until golden brown.
Drain on paper and set aside.
Allow to cool and leave overnight in a cool place or refrigerator.
The next day, prepare the escabeche marinade: Combine strong white vinegar and white wine in a ratio of 1:2.
For every 2 cups liquid, add 10 whole peppercorns, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon sliced ginger, a handful of orange leaves (or bay leaves as a substitute), and slices of orange that have been simmered in lightly salted water.
Simmer all together for 10 minutes.
Layer the fried fish in a ceramic or glass dish and pour over the spiced liquid, making sure all the fish is submerged.
Cover and refrigerate for at least three days to let the flavors meld—longer if you wish, as the taste only improves over time.

Estimated Calories

430 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to fry the fish, and about 20 minutes to prepare the marinade. Prep is longer, about 2.5 hours, due to marinating and cleaning the fish, as well as cooling overnight before marinating. Each serving has an estimated 430 calories. This recipe serves 6 people.

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.