Recipe Manuscript

Escabeche Curiete

Name: Escabeche Curiete
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT25M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 medium onions (approx. 250 g); 1 medium bell pepper (approx. 120 g); 7-8 garlic cloves, divided; 3 cloves (spice); 6 black peppercorns; Pinch ground cinnamon; 3-4 tablespoons (50 ml) olive oil; Salt, to taste; 2 bay leaves; 100 ml white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar; 1 whole head of garlic (approx. 40 g), peeled/separated or sliced; 200 ml white wine; 500 g fresh white fish (such as sea bream, snapper or substitute tilapia/cod); 50 g lard or unsalted butter (substitute vegetable oil if preferred)

"Curiete Escabeche"

1830

From the treasured pages of Del Huso de Consepcion Gutierres y Franco

Written by Concepción Gutierres y Franco

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

Original Recipe • 1830

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

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

Escabeche Curiete

"se Rebanan Sebollas En ruedas y se pican unos agos, pimientos, Clabos, pimienta, Canela. Unos dientes de ajo Crudos se baten con agua y se frien. En aseite se le Echa sal y unas ojas de laurel, binagre suficiente, una cabesa d ajos Enteras o' rebanada. solo Echa en su aseite para templar. El bino que se pone a Erbir unas rebanadas delgadas y Despues se Echan en El caldo asi q Este sancochado. se Corta pescado fresco y bien labado y se frie En manteca que dege Enfriarse esto, El pescado Como El caldo, y se ba poniendo una Capa de uno y otra y esto se Come frio, no se buelbe a poner a la lumbre. dura dos dias o tres sin hecharse a perder."

English Translation

"Onions are sliced into rounds and some garlic, peppers, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon are chopped. Some raw garlic cloves are mashed with water and fried. Add salt and a few bay leaves to oil, sufficient vinegar, a whole head of garlic either whole or sliced. Only add to its oil just to warm. The wine is brought to a boil with some thin slices (of what is not specified, possibly of fish or onions), and then added to the broth once it is simmering. Fresh, well-cleaned fish is cut and fried in lard, which is then left to cool, as is the fish and the broth, and then layers of fish and broth are alternated. This is eaten cold and should not be reheated. It lasts two or three days without spoiling."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a colloquial and phonetic style, mixing Spanish spellings and abbreviations typical of informal 19th-century manuscripts. Punctuation is sparse, sentences run together, and culinary instructions assume basic skills. Seasonings and quantities are imprecise, following the taste and resources of the cook rather than fixed ratios. Old spelling conventions include 'ajos' (garlics) and 'binagre' (vinegar), while 'aseite' reflects the variable spelling of 'aceite' (oil). Expect subtle grammatical flexibility: a nod to how recipes circulated domestically before printed cookbooks set modern culinary standards.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Del Huso de Consepcion Gutierres y Franco - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Del Huso de Consepcion Gutierres y Franco (1830)

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

Writer

Concepción Gutierres y Franco

Era

1830

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming Mexican cooking notebook from 1830, filled with approximately forty handwritten recipes. Lovingly inscribed in black ink and bound in blue cloth, this delectable collection offers a tantalizing glimpse into the flavors and artistry of 19th-century Mexican cuisine.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This escabeche recipe comes from the manuscript cookbook of Concepción Gutierres y Franco, written in Mexico in 1830. Such notebooks were treasured family heirlooms, often stitched by hand and preserved within generations, showcasing the fusion of Spanish culinary traditions with Mexican ingredients. ‘Escabeche’ itself is a preservation method brought from Spain, highlighting the early 19th-century Mexican culinary penchant for acidulated preparations, aromatic spices, and preservation—crucial before refrigeration. Concepción’s manuscript reflects the ingenuity and adaptability of Mexican cooks as they navigated between imported European tastes and local produce, and this recipe’s layered technique shows a clear link to both everyday practicality and festive, special-occasion cooking.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 1830s Mexican kitchen, this recipe would have relied on a clay or cast iron cazuela for both frying and simmering. Garlic and spices were likely mashed in a stone molcajete (mortar and pestle). Sharp knives or cleavers were used for slicing and chopping, while the firewood-powered stove or an open hearth provided the heat source. The dish itself would have been assembled in a glazed earthenware or tin-lined copper vessel, and stored in a cool pantry. No mechanical refrigeration existed, so layering the fish with the acidic marinade in pottery was a key tool for keeping it safe to eat for several days.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

25 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 medium onions (approx. 9 oz)
1 medium bell pepper (approx. 4 oz)
7-8 garlic cloves, divided
3 cloves (spice)
6 black peppercorns
Pinch ground cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons (1.5 fl oz) olive oil
Salt, to taste
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 whole head of garlic (approx. 1.5 oz), peeled/separated or sliced
3/4 cup white wine
1 lb fresh white fish (such as sea bream, snapper or substitute tilapia/cod)
4 tablespoons (2 oz) lard or unsalted butter (substitute vegetable oil if preferred)

Instructions

Slice two medium onions into rings and finely chop 3-4 garlic cloves, one bell pepper, and gather whole cloves (about 3), black peppercorns (about 6), and a pinch of ground cinnamon.
Finely mince 4 raw garlic cloves and mash them with 2-3 tablespoons of water; fry this mixture in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add a good pinch of salt, 2 bay leaves, a generous splash (about 1/2 cup) of vinegar, and a whole head of garlic (peeled and left whole or sliced).
Alow everything to infuse gently in the oil, just to warm.
Meanwhile, bring 3/4 cup of white wine to a gentle boil with several thin slices of bell pepper (or similar).
Once simmered and fragrant, combine this wine mixture with the vinegar-oil base.
Take about 1 pound of fresh fish (such as sea bream or another white fish), cleaned and cut into pieces.
Fry the fish in lard or butter (about 4 tablespoons), then let both the fried fish and the escabeche marinade (the flavored liquid) cool to room temperture.
In a deep serving dish or storage vessel, layer the cooled fish and the cooled marinade, alternating as you go.
Serve this dish cold; it is best eaten after resting, and can keep for two or three days without spoiling.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and slicing the vegetables and fish takes about 25 minutes. Cooking the garlic, spices, wine, and fish takes roughly 25 minutes. The recipe makes enough for about 4 servings, with each serving having around 350 calories.

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.