Recipe Manuscript

Pescado Á La Veracruzana

Name: Pescado Á La Veracruzana
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 800 g mild white fish (e.g., tilapia, basa, or snapper) – substitute for historic 'pescado bobo' if unavailable; 2-3 tbsp (30-45 ml) lard (or vegetable oil if preferred); 3-4 cloves garlic, sliced; 1 medium onion, finely chopped; 1 fresh thyme sprig; 1 fresh marjoram sprig; 1 dried bay leaf; Handful fresh parsley, chopped; 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1-2 tbsp (15-30 ml) white wine vinegar; 2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced; Salt, to taste; A few leaves green leaf lettuce, for garnish; 2-3 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish

"Veracruz-Style Fish"

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

Pescado Á La Veracruzana

"Se toma el pescado bobo se le da un herbor sin que se desaga se pone una casuela con manteca y se frien ajos, cebolla, tomillo, mejorana, laurel, perejil cuando se este friendo esto se echa el pescado entero se le echa aceite oregano y binagre, para aserle un caldillito se saca el pescado y en el caldillito se hechan papas cocidas y picadas y con este se rellena se baña con el caldillo que quede y se adorna con lechuga y rabanos."

English Translation

"Take the 'bobo' fish and give it a quick boil without letting it fall apart. In a pan with lard, fry garlic, onion, thyme, marjoram, bay leaf, and parsley. When this is frying, add the whole fish, then add oil, oregano, and vinegar to make a little broth. Remove the fish and in the broth add cooked and chopped potatoes, and use this mixture to stuff the fish. Pour the remaining broth over it and garnish with lettuce and radishes."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes such as this were captured by hand in elegant, calligraphic script, designed for readers already 'in the know.' Measurements are vague or omitted, with experienced cooks expected to adapt quantities to needs and tastes. Spelling reflects spoken language of the era and region, so some words ('binagre' for 'vinagre,' 'herbor' for roughly 'hervor') have phonetic quirks. Rather than step-by-step precision, there's narrative guidance: tasks flow together, assuming practical skill—poaching just to set the flesh, not to flake; frying gently; layering flavors in sequence. The rationale was both to preserve family knowledge and to trust the intuition of the cook.

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 comes from an early 20th-century family manuscript in Toluca, central Mexico. Drawing from a handwritten collection of domestic recipes, it reflects traditions carried through generations. The style and ingredients reveal an intersection of indigenous Mexican and European (notably Spanish) influences that typify the cuisine of the period. Fish à la Veracruzana, while now a celebrated regional specialty, was part of home cooking, demonstrating the blend of local produce, Mediterranean herbs, and colonial cooking methods embraced by Mexican families of the time.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1905, the household cook would have used a large clay casserole ('cazuela') for frying and simmering, and a simple earthenware or metal pot for poaching the fish. A wooden spoon and cooking knife would have sufficed for chopping and stirring. Potatoes would have been boiled over a wood- or coal-fired stove, and radishes and lettuce hand-cut for garnish. The presentation shows pride in festive table displays, using household platters and perhaps hand-embroidered cloths underneath.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

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

1.75 lbs mild white fish (e.g., tilapia, basa, or snapper) – substitute for historic 'pescado bobo' if unavailable
2-3 tbsp (1-1.5 fl oz) lard (or vegetable oil if preferred)
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 fresh thyme sprig
1 fresh marjoram sprig
1 dried bay leaf
Handful fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp (1 fl oz) olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1-2 tbsp (0.5-1 fl oz) white wine vinegar
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
Salt, to taste
A few leaves green leaf lettuce, for garnish
2-3 radishes, thinly sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Begin by selecting a mild white fish—such as tilapia, basa, or similar—to substitute for the historical 'pescado bobo.' Bring a large pot of salted water to just below boiling and gently poach about 1.75 pounds of whole fish, ensuring the fish stays intact and does not break apart.
Set aside.
In a heavy-bottomed casserole or large sauté pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons (about 1-1.5 fl oz) of lard (or vegetable oil for a substitute).
Add 3-4 cloves of garlic (sliced), 1 medium onion (finely chopped), and fry gently until aromatic.
Toss in a sprig each of fresh thyme and marjoram, 1 dried bay leaf, and a handful of chopped parsley.
Sauté gently until the herbs are fragrant and the onions are translucent.
Now, add the poached fish carefully to the pan, seasoning with 2 tablespoons (1 fl oz) olive oil, a generous pinch of dried oregano, and 1-2 tablespoons (0.5-1 fl oz) white wine vinegar.
Simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors infuse.
Remove the fish and set aside on a platter.
Meanwhile, add 2 medium potatoes—boiled, peeled, and diced—into the pan, mixing them into the herbed sauce left behind to make a 'caldillito' (saucy filling).
Once the potatoes are flavored, stuff or surround the fish with them.
Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the dish.
To garnish, lay crisp lettuce leaves and thinly sliced radishes around the fish before serving.

Estimated Calories

300 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes around 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and about 30 minutes to cook the fish, vegetables, and sauce. Each serving has about 300 calories, so it's a light and healthy meal. 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.