Recipe Manuscript

Principio Que Le Dicen Ensalada

Name: Principio Que Le Dicen Ensalada
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 medium onions (about 200g), sliced; 3 medium tomatoes (about 300g), sliced; 4 garlic cloves, sliced; 400g pork shoulder, cubed; 400g chicken thighs or breast, cubed; 6 dried red chiles (guajillo or ancho), deseeded and rinsed; 125ml white vinegar; 125ml water; 1 stick cinnamon; 3 whole cloves; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1 tsp dried oregano; 2 tbsp lard (or neutral oil if preferred); 2 tbsp olive oil; 50g green olives, pitted and sliced; 50g capers or chopped gherkins (substitute for tornachilos); 50g raisins; 30g slivered almonds

"Dish Called 'Ensalada'"

1808

From the treasured pages of Libro de varios guisados, antes, y postres, que pertenece

Written by Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras

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

Original Recipe • 1808

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

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

Principio Que Le Dicen Ensalada

"Se ponen rebanadas de cebolla, tomates, y ajos, carne de puerco, y gallina, todo va rebuelto, y asi que esté, se muelen unos chiles colorados mui bien labados, y se rebuelben con la carne, y se hace el caldo con medio quartillo de vinagre y otro tanto de agua, se le hecha canela, clavo, culantro, cominos, y se rebuelbe en la carne, se le hecha oregano, y manteca, y se pone entre dos fuegos, hasta que consuma el caldo, no mucho despues, se le hecha aceite, azeitunas, tornachilos, pasas, almendras."

English Translation

"Slices of onion, tomatoes, and garlic are placed, along with pork and chicken; everything is mixed together. Once it's ready, some red chiles are ground very well, washed, and mixed with the meat. A broth is made with half a quart of vinegar and the same amount of water; cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and cumin are added and mixed in with the meat. Then oregano and lard are added, and the mixture is set between two fires until the broth is mostly consumed. Not long after, oil, olives, pickles, raisins, and almonds are added."

Note on the Original Text

Recipe writing in early 19th-century Mexico was terse and assumed the cook's prior knowledge of methods and measures. Ingredients are named in sequence, instructions are minimal, and quantities are often implicit or described by context ('medio quartillo' for liquids). Spelling differs (e.g. 'rebuelbe' for remueve, 'hecha' for echa), and some terms refer to ingredients less known today (like 'tornachilos', which likely means capers or pickled vegetables). The recipe also uses a narrative structure, blending instruction with description, rather than the stepwise format familiar in modern cookbooks.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Libro de varios guisados, antes, y postres, que pertenece - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Libro de varios guisados, antes, y postres, que pertenece (1808)

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

Writer

Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras

Era

1808

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming window into 19th-century Mexican home cooking, this manuscript whisks readers through a delectable array of chicken dishes, vibrant salsas, and colorful salads—each recipe graced with the personal touch of Doña Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from the 1808 manuscript 'Libro de varios guisados' by Doña Maria Ramona Quixano y Contreras, a resident of the congregation of Silao in Guanajuato, Mexico. The manuscript showcases the blending of indigenous Mexican and Spanish culinary traditions typical of early 19th-century Mexican households. Dishes like this 'ensalada' highlight the incorporation of European ingredients—like olives, almonds, and vinegar—alongside native staples such as chiles and tomatoes. Written for an elite audience intimate with household management, recipes like this represent festive and substantial salads, meant as princely beginnings or centerpiece dishes at grand meals. The presence of both chicken and pork, as well as imported ingredients, signals both affluence and culinary sophistication.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The recipe would have been made using a large earthenware cazuela for braising and mixing, a molcajete (stone mortar) for grinding the spices and chiles, and a wood-fired hearth or brazier with two sources of heat ('entre dos fuegos') to control simmering and reduction. Manual slicing with a sharp kitchen knife, pestle and mortar work for the chile paste and spices, and wooden spoons for stirring would have been standard.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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 medium onions (about 7 oz), sliced
3 medium tomatoes (about 10 1/2 oz), sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
14 oz pork shoulder, cubed
14 oz chicken thighs or breast, cubed
6 dried red chiles (guajillo or ancho), deseeded and rinsed
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp lard (or neutral oil if preferred)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 3/4 oz green olives, pitted and sliced
1 3/4 oz capers or chopped gherkins (substitute for tornachilos)
1 3/4 oz raisins
1 oz slivered almonds

Instructions

Slice 2 medium onions, 3 ripe tomatoes, and 4 cloves of garlic.
Cube 14 oz pork shoulder and 14 oz chicken (thighs or breast).
Mix all these together in a large bowl.
Separately, deseed and rinse 6 dried red chiles (such as guajillo or ancho) and blend them until smooth with a little water.
Stir the chile paste into the meat and vegetables to coat everything well.
For the broth, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and 1/2 cup water; add 1 stick of cinnamon, 3 cloves, 1 teaspoon each of coriander seeds and cumin seeds (lightly crushed), and pour this over the meat mixture.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 2 tablespoons lard throughout.
Place the mixture in a shallow casserole or roasting pan.
Cook on medium heat, either on the stove or in the oven, partially covered, until most of the liquid has evaporated but the meat is still juicy—about 45 minutes to an hour.
Just before serving, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and scatter over 1 3/4 oz green olives, 1 3/4 oz pickled capers or chopped gherkins (as a substitute for 'tornachilos'), 1 3/4 oz raisins, and 1 oz slivered almonds.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Estimated Calories

470 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare and about 1 hour to cook this dish. Each serving has around 470 calories if you divide the recipe into 6 portions.

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.