Recipe Manuscript

Pebre De Conejo Ó Carnero

Name: Pebre De Conejo Ó Carnero
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 800 g rabbit or lamb, cut into serving pieces; 500 ml meat broth (from simmering the meat); 50 g butter or pork lard; 3–4 garlic cloves, peeled; 2 whole cloves; 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns or 1/4 tsp ground black pepper; 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon; Pinch freshly grated nutmeg; Optional: Small piece (about 1 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and minced or 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 2 medium onions, boiled and finely chopped; 50 g green olives; 50 g capers; 50 g caper berries (substitute additional capers if unavailable); 30 ml olive oil; 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) wine vinegar; Generous pinch dried oregano

"Rabbit Or Mutton Pebre"

1890

From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 12

Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

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

Original Recipe • 1890

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

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

Pebre De Conejo Ó Carnero

"Se fríen en manteca unos ajos pelados, después se sacan y en esa misma manteca se echa el caldo en que se ha hervido el conejo ó el carnero, poniéndole clavo, pimienta, canela y nuez moscada, y si se quiere se le pone un pedacito de agengible; se fríen las carnes á que queden como asadas y se echan en el caldillo con suficiente cebolla cocida y picada, aceitunas, alcaparras y alcaparrones, y al tiempo de servirse á la mesa se le echa aceite, orégano y vinagre y se le deja hervir momentáneamente."

English Translation

"Peel some garlic cloves and fry them in lard, then remove them and, in the same fat, pour in the broth in which the rabbit or mutton has been boiled. Add cloves, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and if desired, a small piece of ginger. Fry the meat until it is as if roasted, and add it to the broth along with enough cooked and chopped onion, olives, capers, and caper berries. When ready to serve, add oil, oregano, and vinegar, and let it boil briefly before serving."

Note on the Original Text

Written in the storytelling style typical of 19th-century Mexican cookbooks, the recipe offers more a narrative than precise instruction—relying on the cook’s experience to gauge seasoning and texture. Spellings like 'agengible' for 'jengibre' (ginger) and the terms for capers and olives are old-fashioned, but the method is straightforward: fry aromatics, enrich a spiced broth, brown meat, then marry everything with a tangy, herby, pickly flourish. The recipe assumes the reader knows how to simmer, fry, and finish a stew, making it an adventurous but welcoming guide—encouraging improvisation for the home cook of the time.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 12 - Click to view recipe in book

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

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 12, published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo in Mexico City, was part of a clever pocket-sized series, designed for busy households and enthusiastic home cooks wanting recipes at their fingertips. This particular recipe is a splendid example of 19th-century fusion cuisine—a mix of Spanish, indigenous, and even broader Mediterranean influences catered to Mexican tastes. The presence of rabbit or lamb (carnero) and the medley of spices and pickled condiments hints at both Old World technique and New World adaptation, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of Mexican kitchens at the time—and their willingness to play with both imported and local ingredients.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

At the end of the 19th century, this dish would have been prepared over a wood or charcoal stove, using sturdy cast iron or clay pots. Pestles and mortars helped crush spices, while sharp carbon-steel knives made quick work of onions and garlic. Skimming broth, frying, and finishing the dish would all take place with simple wooden spoons, heavy pans, and perhaps glazed earthenware serving dishes—the perfect vessel to show off pebre’s deep, glossy sauce.

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

1 3/4 lb rabbit or lamb, cut into serving pieces
2 cups meat broth (from simmering the meat)
1 3/4 oz (3 1/2 tbsp) butter or pork lard
3–4 garlic cloves, peeled
2 whole cloves
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns or 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Optional: Small piece (about 1/2 inch) fresh ginger, peeled and minced or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 medium onions, boiled and finely chopped
1 3/4 oz green olives
1 3/4 oz capers
1 3/4 oz caper berries (substitute additional capers if unavailable)
2 tbsp olive oil
1–2 tbsp wine vinegar
Generous pinch dried oregano

Instructions

Begin by peeling 3–4 cloves of garlic and gently frying them in 1 3/4 oz (3 1/2 tbsp) of butter or pork lard over medium heat until golden.
Remove the garlic and reserve.
In the same fat, pour in 2 cups of broth in which you previously simmered 1 3/4 lb of rabbit or lamb until tender.
Season the broth with 2 cloves, 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg—a thumbnail-sized piece of fresh ginger can also be added, though this is optional.
Sear the cooked meat pieces in a separate skillet or in the same pan if large enough, frying until lightly browned and resembling roast meat.
Return the meat to the spiced broth and stir in 2 medium onions, boiled until soft and finely chopped, as well as 1 3/4 oz each of green olives, capers, and pickled caper berries.
Just before serving, add 2 tbsp olive oil, a generous pinch of dried oregano, and 1–2 tablespoons vinegar to brighten the flavors, then let the mixture simmer for a few moments before bringing to the table.
Serve immediately, with the fragrant steam evoking a time long past.

Estimated Calories

450 per serving

Cooking Estimates

This recipe takes about 20 minutes to get all your ingredients ready and about 1 hour to cook the meat and bring everything together. Each serving has about 450 calories. The 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.