Recipe Manuscript

Adobo Con Chicharos

Name: Adobo Con Chicharos
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 5
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 500 g pork belly (tocino), cut into large cubes; 150 g Spanish-style chorizos (fresh or semi-cured), sliced; 200 g green peas (fresh or frozen, or substitute dried split peas, soaked and boiled until tender); 4 dried ancho chiles (rehydrated); 2 garlic cloves; 30 g crusty bread (fried until golden); 2 g (1/2 tsp) whole cumin seeds; 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard; 1 tsp (5 ml) vinegar; Salt, to taste; 500 ml pork broth (from cooking meat); Water, as needed

"Adobo With Peas"

1890

From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 5

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

Adobo Con Chicharos

"Se pone á cocer carne de tocino, agregándole si se quiere, unos choricitos; los chícharos se cuecen aparte con una poca de sal. Después de remojados unos chiles anchos, se muelen con unos dientes de ajo, un trocito de pan frito y unos pocos de cominos. Se fríe esto muy bien poniéndole una cucharadita de vinagre y sal suficiente y ya bien frito, se le echa el caldo de la carne de puerco, se sazona y se deja hervir un rato agregándole después la carne y los chorizos dejando que espese el caldillo y luego se sirve."

English Translation

"Cook some pork belly, adding some small chorizos if desired; cook the peas separately with a little salt. After soaking some ancho chiles, grind them together with a few cloves of garlic, a piece of fried bread, and a few cumin seeds. Fry this mixture very well, adding a teaspoon of vinegar and enough salt; once well fried, pour in the broth from the pork, season, and let it boil for a while. Then add the meat and the chorizos, letting the sauce thicken, and then serve."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the concise and practical style characteristic of 19th-century Mexican cookbooks, targeting experienced home cooks familiar with foundational techniques. Ingredients are described by category and quantity is left purposely vague, relying on the intuitive knowledge of the reader. Spelling and phrasing, such as 'chícharos' for peas and 'tocino' for pork belly, reflect the regional and historical lexicon. Steps are listed in a narrative flow rather than bullet points or strict measurements, which was typical, trusting the cook to adapt with what was on hand.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 5 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 5 (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 volume from the famed series 'Cocina en el bolsillo,' this pocket-sized cookbook serves up an enticing collection of recipes, guiding readers through a flavorful journey of culinary creations from the late 19th century.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 5', published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, a notable Mexican publisher who made culinary knowledge accessible to wide audiences. At the time, such recipes were intended to be both practical and economical, reflecting local ingredients and home-cooking techniques of late 19th-century Mexico. The series helped popularize traditional home cooking and preserved culinary traditions during a time of modernization and changing foodways.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The preparation would have employed basic kitchen tools of the era, including a clay or metal stew pot ('olla'), a hand mill or stone mortar ('molcajete') for grinding chiles, garlic and spices, and a metal pan or comal for frying the bread. Long-handled wooden spoons for stirring and a simple sieve might have been used in straining the sauce. Open fire or a wood-burning stove provided heat.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 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

1.1 lb pork belly (tocino), cut into large cubes
5.3 oz Spanish-style chorizos (fresh or semi-cured), sliced
7 oz green peas (fresh or frozen, or substitute dried split peas, soaked and boiled until tender)
4 dried ancho chiles (rehydrated)
2 garlic cloves
1 oz crusty bread (fried until golden)
0.07 oz (1/2 tsp) whole cumin seeds
2 tbsp (1 fl oz) vegetable oil or lard
1 tsp (0.17 fl oz) vinegar
Salt, to taste
2 cups (16 fl oz) pork broth (from cooking meat)
Water, as needed

Instructions

To make 'Adobo con Chícharos' with modern ingredients, begin by simmering about 1.1 pounds of pork belly (tocino) in water.
For extra flavor, add a few (about 5.3 ounces) fresh or dried Spanish chorizos.
In a separate pot, cook 7 ounces of green peas (fresh or frozen) in salted water until tender.
While the meat and peas cook, rehydrate 4 dried ancho chiles in hot water until soft.
Then, blend the chiles with 2 peeled garlic cloves, a small piece (about 1 ounce) of crusty bread fried in oil, and 1/2 teaspoon (about 0.07 ounces) whole cumin seeds.
Sauté this mixture in 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce) of oil until fragrant, then add 1 teaspoon (0.17 fluid ounces) of vinegar and a generous pinch of salt.
Once the chile mixture is well fried, pour in about 2 cups (16 fluid ounces) of the pork cooking stock to thin the sauce.
Simmer gently for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to meld, then stir in the boiled pork, chorizos, and finally the cooked peas.
Continue cooking until the sauce thickens, then serve hot with fresh bread or rice.

Estimated Calories

650 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 15 minutes preparing the ingredients, like cutting the pork, chorizo, and bread, and soaking the chiles. Cooking takes about 1 hour, as you simmer the pork and chorizo, cook the peas, make the sauce, and then bring everything together. Each serving has about 650 calories, and the whole recipe serves 5 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.