Chichicuilotes En Gitomate
"Chichicuilotes In Tomato Sauce"
From the treasured pages of La Cosina en el Bolsillo No. 1
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Chichicuilotes En Gitomate
"Se embarra una cazuela con manteca y se le echa ajo, cebolla, gitomate picado, clavo, pimienta y perejil para encima, se sancochan los chichicuilotes enteros partidos en dos mitades, y se les pone en-cima la fritura dicha con más manteca, mantequilla, clavo y pimienta. Se cuecen a dos fuegos, se sirven con caldo, que se les añade, o con rebanadas de pan frito."
English Translation
"Grease a casserole with lard and add garlic, onion, chopped tomato, clove, pepper, and parsley on top. The chichicuilotes are blanched whole and then cut in half, and the previously mentioned sauté is placed on top with more lard, butter, clove, and pepper. Cook on a low flame, and serve them with broth, which is added to them, or with slices of fried bread."
Note on the Original Text
Recipes of this period are written as single paragraphs, mixing technique and ingredients. Quantities are rarely precise; the cook’s intuition and experience filled in the gaps. Spelling reflects the early 20th-century Mexican Spanish: 'gitomate' is a regionalism for 'jitomate' (tomato). The recipe expects cooks to know how to poach ('sancochar') and finish cooking over 'dos fuegos' (literally, 'two fires', meaning both stove and oven or double heat source), echoing old-fashioned hearth cooking. Directions focus on sequence, leaving seasoning and timing to taste and experience.
Title
La Cosina en el Bolsillo No. 1 (1913)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1913
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful entry from the famed 'Cocina en el bolsillo' series, this charming 1913 volume artfully tucks a world of recipes into your pocket—ready to inspire delicious adventures at every turn!
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe hails from 'La Cosina en el Bolsillo No. 1', published in 1913 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo—a little cookbook born from Mexico City’s vibrant street press. The series was intended to bring practical, everyday recipes into the homes of working-class urbanites, often using ingredients that were affordable or readily available at local markets. Chichicuilotes (marsh birds) once thrived in the lakes and wetlands around the Valley of Mexico. Early 20th-century cooks celebrated their delicate flavor, and the presence of European spices like cloves and pepper reveals Mexico’s cosmopolitan culinary scene post-Porfiriato.
Traditional Mexican households would use a clay cazuela (casserole) over a wood or charcoal stove. A sharp knife and wooden spoon would be essential for preparing the aromatics and birds, while a metal ladle would help with adding broth or serving. Serving was often rustic—birds brought to table in the cazuela itself, accompanied by thick slices of pan-fried bread.
Prep Time
15 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
- 2 tablespoons lard (or unsalted butter)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 14 oz), diced
- 3 whole cloves (plus a pinch more for finishing)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (plus extra for finishing)
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 4 chichicuilotes (substitute: 4 quails or 2 Cornish hens, halved)
- 1 3/4 cups poultry or vegetable stock (optional, for serving)
- 2-3 slices country-style bread, pan-fried (optional)
Instructions
- Start by greasing a medium-sized clay or heavy-bottomed casserole (about 2 quarts capacity) with 2 tablespoons of lard (or unsalted butter if preferred).
- Add 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 small chopped onion, and 4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 14 oz) diced.
- Sprinkle in 3 whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.
- Sauté over medium heat until the tomato softens and everything is aromatic.
- Take 4 small birds (chichicuilotes; substitute with 4 quails or 2 Cornish hens, split in half).
- Lightly poach (parboil) these, then cut each one in half.
- Arrange the halved birds in the casserole on top of the sautéed mixture.
- Pour over another 2 tablespoons melted lard or butter, and add a pinch more clove and pepper.
- Cover and cook gently over low heat, either on the stove top set over a simmering flame or in a low, preheated oven (325°F), for about 40 minutes until birds are tender.
- To serve, add enough strained poultry or vegetable broth (about 1 3/4 cups) to make a soupy consistency, or serve the birds with slices of pan-fried bread.
Estimated Calories
350 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 15 minutes to chop and prepare the vegetables and birds, and about 40 minutes to cook until tender, so you'll need about an hour in total. Each serving is estimated at about 350 calories, and 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.
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