Otro Guiso De Asadura
"Another Offal Stew"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 12
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Otro Guiso De Asadura
"Pártase la asadura en pedazos grandes que se pondrán á cocer en una olla, y una vez cocida se parte en pedazos chicos, se pica gitomate, cebolla y ajo y friéndose con mucha manteca se le agregan después los pedacitos de la asadura; se muele clavo, pimienta, perejil, orégano y tomillo, y se le agrega, poniéndose al fuego hasta que que de muy espeso, y se adorna con rebanadas de jamón cocido, chiles y aceitunas."
English Translation
"Cut the offal into large pieces which are put to cook in a pot, and once cooked, cut into small pieces. Chop tomato, onion, and garlic and fry them with plenty of lard, then add the small pieces of offal. Grind cloves, pepper, parsley, oregano, and thyme and add them, cooking over heat until very thick, and garnish with slices of cooked ham, chilies, and olives."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in the succinct, almost telegraphic style typical of 19th-century Mexican cookbooks. Instructions assume a level of culinary knowledge and oral tradition; measurements are imprecise, with quantities left to the cook’s discretion. Words like 'gitomate' reflect historical spelling—'jitomate' today, the indigenous Nahuatl word for tomato. Clarifications and steps missing from the text are inferred based on period practice and careful reading of original instructions.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 12 (1890)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1890
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful pocket-sized treasure from the numbered series 'Cocina en el Bolsillo', this volume serves up a tempting array of recipes, inviting culinary enthusiasts on a tasteful journey through a variety of traditional foods.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe comes from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 12', published in 1890 in Mexico City as part of a popular cookbook series meant to democratize cooking by putting practical recipes in the hands of everyday people. The series, produced by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, offered accessible, affordable, and traditional recipes to a growing urban population. Offal dishes such as this were common in the period, reflecting a nose-to-tail mentality that made use of every part of the animal. This guiso balances rustic offal with imported elements like ham and olives, hinting at the international influences on late 19th-century Mexican cuisine.
In the late 19th century, this dish would have been made using a clay or cast-iron pot for simmering the offal, a sturdy cutting board and sharp knife for chopping, and a stone mortar and pestle for grinding spices. Frying would be done over a wood or charcoal-fired stove or an open hearth, using a heavy metal or clay pan. Garnishes like ham and olives would be prepared separately and added just at serving.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Servings
4
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 lb 2 oz mixed offal (liver, heart, or lung)
- 10.5 oz ripe tomatoes (or canned, drained if unavailable)
- 4.25 oz onion
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1.75 oz pork lard (or unsalted butter as substitute)
- 2 whole cloves
- 6 black peppercorns
- 0.5 oz fresh parsley
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 0.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1.75 oz cooked ham, thinly sliced
- 2 pickled green chilies
- 1.5 oz green olives
Instructions
- Start by cutting 1 lb 2 oz of mixed offal (liver, heart, or lung) into large pieces.
- Place them in a pot, cover with water, and simmer until fully cooked (about 25 minutes).
- Once cooled, chop the offal into small bite-sized pieces.
- Finely chop 3 medium tomatoes (about 10.5 oz), 1 medium onion (about 4.25 oz), and 2 large garlic cloves.
- In a wide pan, heat 1.75 oz pork lard (or unsalted butter for modern palates) and sauté the tomato, onion, and garlic until soft.
- Add the chopped offal pieces and fry together for 5 minutes.
- Grind together 2 whole cloves, 6 black peppercorns, a small handful of fresh parsley (0.5 oz), 1 tsp dried oregano, and 0.5 tsp dried thyme.
- Add these ground spices to the pan, stir well, and cook the mixture gently, uncovered, until very thick and reduced (about 15 minutes).
- Garnish just before serving with thin slices of cooked ham, sliced pickled green chilies, and a handful of green olives.
Estimated Calories
330 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 25 minutes to cook the offal and another 15 minutes to thicken the mixture. Preparing and chopping ingredients takes around 20 minutes. Each serving has about 330 calories. This recipe serves 4 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.
Join the Discussion
Rate This Recipe
Dietary Preference
Main Ingredients
Occasions
Den Bockfisch In Einer Fleisch Suppen Zu Kochen
This recipe hails from a German manuscript cookbook compiled in 1696, a time whe...
Die Grieß Nudlen Zumachen
This recipe comes from a rather mysterious manuscript cookbook, penned anonymous...
Ein Boudain
This recipe comes from an anonymous German-language manuscript cookbook from 169...
Ein Recht Guts Latwerg
This recipe hails from a late 17th-century German manuscript, a comprehensive co...
Browse our complete collection of time-honored recipes