Asado Morisco

This recipe for 'Asado Morisco' hails from the 1831 edition of 'El Cocinero Mexicano', a pioneering cookbook designed to meld the flavors and methods of Spanish, Moorish, and Creole cuisines in early republican Mexico. At this time, Mexican cooks were eager to embrace the global trade in spices and experiment with rich flavor combinations—here, lamb or beef is simmered in a broth redolent with saffron, cumin, cloves, and cinnamon, all of which reflect the deep influence of Moorish and Iberian cooking introduced during the Spanish colonial era. The recipe also demonstrates the transition from purely indigenous techniques to the adoption of European and Middle Eastern culinary traditions, blending local meats with imported spices and cooking methods, ideal for elegant tables in 19th-century Mexico.

The original preparation would have relied on a sturdy clay or copper casserole (cazuela), placed over a wood or charcoal fire for steady simmering. A long-handled spoon, typically of wood, was used for stirring and skimming. Once the broth reduced, the meat would be lifted out with tongs or forks and finished over open embers or in a masonry oven, set to roast until golden. Serving was likely done on earthenware platters, emphasizing both practicality and the culinary fashion of the period.