Robalo En Caldillo De Vino
"Sea Bass In Wine Sauce"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 8
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Robalo En Caldillo De Vino
"Después de bien limpio y lavado el robalo, se echa en raciones en el caldillo, que se hace friendo en manteca, ajos y bastante gitomate, todo picado, se le añade clavo y canela molidos, alcaparras, pasas, almendras, bastante vino tinto, una taza de vinagre, sal y azúcar. Después se sazona, se le agregan aceitunas y tornachiles."
English Translation
"After the sea bass is well cleaned and washed, cut it into portions and place it in the sauce, which is made by frying garlic and plenty of chopped tomato in lard. Add ground cloves and cinnamon, capers, raisins, almonds, plenty of red wine, a cup of vinegar, salt, and sugar. After seasoning, add olives and pickled peppers."
Note on the Original Text
Historical recipes from this era are concise and assume significant prior knowledge. Quantities and timing are rarely explicit, demanding intuition from the cook. Spelling—such as 'gitomate' for 'jitomate' (tomato) and 'tornachiles' for pickled chilies—reflects regional dialect and 19th-century orthography. The directions mix ingredient preparation with cooking instructions in a single running narrative, expecting the reader to follow along and adapt as needed.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 8 (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 'Cocina en el bolsillo' series, this volume stirs up a medley of flavorful recipes for adventurous cooks eager to savor the tastes of yesteryear.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe hails from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 8', published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, a renowned Mexican publisher. The series, meant as handy, pocket-sized guides, democratized access to both traditional and innovative culinary practices of late 19th-century Mexico. During this period, Mexican home kitchens were experiencing a confluence of Indigenous and European influences—the use of local fish, combined with Mediterranean touches like capers, almonds, and wine, showcases Mexico's vibrant, multi-layered gastronomy. Recipes were practical, written for home cooks eager to impress at the family table or fashionable gatherings.
The original recipe would have been prepared on a wood or charcoal-fired stove, using heavy earthenware or cast iron pots. Cooks used a hand-held knife for chopping and a molcajete (mortar and pestle) to grind spices like clove and cinnamon. A large ceramic or enameled cazuela served as the main cooking vessel for both frying and simmering the stew, while wooden spoons and ladles were used for stirring.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings
6
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 whole snook (robalo), about 3 lb 5 oz, cleaned and cut into portions
- 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3-4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb 2 oz), finely chopped
- 1 oz lard or unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.7 oz capers
- 0.7 oz raisins
- 0.7 oz slivered almonds
- 1 1/4 cups robust red wine
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- Salt, to taste
- 0.4 oz sugar (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 oz green olives
- Handful pickled green chilies (tornachiles, or substitute with pickled guindilla or serrano peppers)
Instructions
- Begin by thoroughly cleaning and washing a whole snook (robalo), then cut it into serving portions.
- Prepare the broth by finely chopping 2-3 cloves of garlic and 3-4 medium ripe tomatoes (about 1 lb 2 oz).
- In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons (1 oz) of lard or unsalted butter.
- Sauté the garlic until fragrant, then add the tomatoes, cooking until softened.
- Stir in 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, followed by 2 tablespoons (0.7 oz) capers, 2 tablespoons (0.7 oz) raisins, and 2 tablespoons (0.7 oz) slivered almonds.
- Pour in 1 1/4 cups robust red wine and add 1 cup red wine vineger.
- Season generously with salt to taste and add 1 tablespoon (0.4 oz) sugar to balance the flavors.
- Once the sauce is well blended, add the fish portions and gently simmer until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Finish by adding 2 tablespoons (1 oz) green olives and a handful of pickled green chilies (tornachiles, or use pickled guindilla or serrano peppers as a modern substitute).
- Serve hot with planty of sauce.
Estimated Calories
400 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing this snook stew takes about 20 minutes: you clean and cut the fish, chop the vegetables, and measure the other ingredients. Cooking everything together takes around 15 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through and the sauce is ready. Each serving contains about 400 calories, and the recipe serves 6 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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