Puchero Bonito
"Pretty Stew"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Puchero Bonito
"Pónganse á cocer unos fofes de carnero y bien cocidos se pican menudito con ajos, cebollas, gitomates, chiles verdes y pocos tomates, poniéndose á freir en bastante manteca; se le echan sus especies y bastante canela, y ya que está cocido todo el recaudo se le revuelven unos huevos, agregándole aceitunas, tomachiles, pasas y demás adornos, así como también un poco de vino y orégano. En este puchero pueden meterse carnes de gallina, de pichones asados, lomos de carnero ó de puerco y se sirve siempre como principio ó para almuerzo."
English Translation
"Put some pieces of mutton to cook, and when well cooked, chop them finely with garlic, onions, tomatoes, green chiles, and a few more tomatoes, then fry them in plenty of lard. Add spices and plenty of cinnamon, and once all the mixture is cooked, stir in some eggs, along with olives, little green tomatoes, raisins, and other garnishes, as well as a bit of wine and oregano. In this stew you can also add chicken meat, roasted squab, cuts of mutton or pork, and it is always served as a starter or for breakfast."
Note on the Original Text
The original recipe is written succinctly, assuming the reader is familiar with basic kitchen preparation, measurements, and timing—common in late 19th-century culinary texts. Spellings such as 'gitomates' for jitomates (tomatoes) and 'fofes' for 'foces' or pieces suggest phonetic spellings or contemporary dialect. Quantities are imprecise, so the cook would rely on intuition and experience, something very typical for this era. The recipe proceeds in a logical, almost conversational flow, which was accessible for domestic cooks of the day.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9 (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 culinary companion from the late 19th century, 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9' serves up a savory selection of recipes and kitchen wisdom, inviting readers to explore the flavors and techniques that charmed Mexican households. Pocket-sized but bursting with gastronomic inspiration, this volume is a tasteful blend of practicality and tradition.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe hails from late 19th century Mexico, published in 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 9' by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo—a fascinating window into middle-class and aspirational urban kitchens of the era. The 'puchero bonito' represents a festive, eclectic stew with roots in both Iberian and Mexican traditions, and reflects the abundance, creativity, and cosmopolitan influences appearing in Mexico's capital cities at the time. Dishes like this served as both Sunday roasts and impressive almuerzos (brunches), combining the flavors of local produce—chilies, tomatoes, indigenous tomatillos—with Old World touches like cinnamon, olives, raisins, and wine.
Cooks in 1890s Mexico would have used a basic kitchen hearth or wood-fired stove, a wide clay or metal pot for boiling the meat, a large mortar and pestle (molcajete) for grinding spices, and sharp carbon steel knives for chopping. Sautéing would have happened in a cast iron pan or copper cazuela using pork lard. Beating eggs would have been done with a simple fork or wooden spoon, and everything finished with tactile hands-on stirring.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
50 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 lamb (bone-in or boneless, or substitute with pork)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 medium onion
- 2 medium ripe tomatoes
- 2 green chilies (e.g. jalapeño or similar)
- 1-2 tomatillos (or use 1 extra tomato if unavailable)
- 3 1/2 tbsp lard (or vegetable oil as substitute)
- Assorted spices (black pepper, cumin, clove to taste)
- 0.2 oz cinnamon stick, broken
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 oz pitted olives (green or black)
- 1 oz pickled green chilies ('tomachiles', or substitute green chilies with dash of vinegar)
- 1 oz raisins
- 3 1/2 tbsp dry white wine
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Optional: 7 oz roasted chicken, young pigeon, or pork loin
Instructions
- Begin by boiling about 1 lb of lamb pieces (with some bone for extra flavor) until well-cooked and tender.
- Remove the meat, let it cool slightly, then chop finely.
- In a large frying pan or pot, sauté the chopped lamb with 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped ripe tomatoes, 2 chopped green chilies (such as jalapeño), and 1-2 chopped tomatillos in about 3 1/2 tbsp of lard or vegetable oil until vegatables are soft and fragrant.
- Season generously with your choice of spices (such as black pepper, cumin, cloves) and a stick of cinnamon (about 0.2 oz), allowing the flavors to blend.
- Once everything is well-cooked, beat 4 eggs and stir them in, mixing quickly so they form a soft scramble within the mixture.
- Stir in a small handful (about 1 oz) each of pitted olives, pickled green chilies ('tomachiles' or use extra green chili with a splash of vinegar), and raisins.
- Add a splash of dry white wine (about 3 1/2 tbsp), and season with dried oregano to taste.
- For extra richness, roasted chicken, pigeon, or pork loin can be added at this stage if you wish.
- Serve as a starter or hearty breakfeast.
Estimated Calories
420 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients, and around 50 minutes to cook the dish, including boiling the meat. The recipe makes 4 servings, with about 420 calories per serving.
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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