Huachinango Relleno

"Clean a sufficient quantity of fresh shrimp; boned sardines, capers, olives, onions, and almonds: chop all these, not too finely. Chop a clove of garlic and a little onion, frying them in oil; when the garlic and onion are half fried, add the shrimp and the rest; when everything is well fried, remove from the heat and let cool. Clean the fish by cutting off the fins and tail; open it along the belly and debone it, taking care not to break the skin. Stuff it with the prepared mixture and sew the opening with strong thread. Next, make a few small cuts on top in the thickest parts, drizzle with good oil and a little salt and pepper, and place in the oven until golden. If there is no oven to use, put it in a casserole with a little water, salt and pepper, a bit of good wine, vinegar, bay leaf, thyme, and marjoram. When it is cooked, remove and serve, garnishing the platter with olives, capers, and fresh shrimp in oil and vinegar."

The recipe is written in the direct, telegraphic style typical of 19th-century Mexican domestic guides. Ingredients are listed contextually within the method, rather than in a separate dedicated list. Quantities are imprecise, relying on the seasoned judgment of the cook, who would be familiar with local produce and available pantry items. Spelling hews closely to late 19th-century Mexican Spanish conventions, with some terms quaint to modern readers (e.g., 'pellejo' for fish skin) but generally intelligible. Instead of formalized oven temperatures or times, the recipe describes visual and tactile cues—'hasta que se dore'—placing trust in the cook's senses.