Bagre En Jitomate
"Catfish In Tomato Sauce"
From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2
Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Bagre En Jitomate
"Se laba el bagre en agua con ceniza restregándolo con una escobeta hasta que se ablande, se enjuaga con agua limpia, se enjuga y se rebana. Despues de cocido se le hecha un poco de sumo de limon y sal y despues de algun tiempo se enjuga de nuevo. Partido en pequeños trozos, se van envolviendo éstos en harina y friendo à que queden muy dorados dejándolo así para el dia siguiente. Se muelen gitomates crudos, un poco de culantro, pimienta y clavo, y un chile poblano; todo esto se muele y se frié echándole una poca de agua. Ya que haya dado un hervor se hecha el pescado á que hierva. Al servirlo se adorna con perejil, chilitos, aceitunas, cebollas y aceite de comer."
English Translation
"Wash the catfish in water with ash, scrubbing it with a brush until it softens, then rinse with clean water, dry it, and slice it. After cooking, sprinkle a little lemon juice and salt on it and after some time, dry it again. Cut into small pieces, coat these in flour, and fry until they are very golden, leaving them like this for the next day. Grind raw tomatoes, a bit of cilantro, pepper and clove, and a poblano chili; grind all this and sauté it, adding a little water. Once it comes to a boil, add the fish so it can simmer. When serving, garnish with parsley, small chilies, olives, onions, and table oil."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe reflects the practical, sequential style typical of 19th-century Mexican cookery: steps are described in prose, assuming familiarity with techniques like cleaning with ash or frying. Quantities are unspecified, relying on the cook's intuition and common sense. The spelling—such as 'jitomate' for tomato, and alternate forms like 'chilitos'—shows regional pronunciation. The directions are less precise than modern recipes and assume some prior kitchen experience.
Title
La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2 (1890)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Antonio Vanegas Arroyo
Era
1890
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A charming pocket-sized volume from the 'Cocina en el Bolsillo' series, brimming with delightful recipes for a variety of foods and offering a flavorful glimpse into historical culinary traditions.
Kindly made available by
University of Texas at San Antonio
This recipe comes from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 2', published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo in Mexico City. This was a time of great culinary evolution in Mexico, when print culture was bringing household knowledge to a wider, more urban audience. The 'Cocina en el bolsillo' series aimed to impart practical, accessible recipes to everyday cooks, often blending Indigenous traditions—like using ceniza (ash) for cleaning—with European ingredients and methods. Dishes like this show the merging of rural practice and urban innovation at the turn of the 20th century.
In 1890, a Mexican home cook would have used a clay or metal cazuela for simmering the sauce and possibly a cast iron pan for frying. Traditional stone mortars (molcajete) or early metal grinders would be used for pounding or grinding spices and tomatoes. A simple brush or natural 'escobeta' broom served for cleaning fish, a task generally done outdoors. Earthenware bowls and plates were the norm for marinating and serving. Frying was done over wood or coal-fired stoves.
Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
25 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
- 2.2 lb catfish (bagre), cleaned
- 1 oz coarse salt (for cleaning and seasoning)
- Juice of 2 limes
- 3.5 oz all-purpose flour
- 1 cup neutral vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1.1 lb ripe tomatoes
- 1 poblano chile (roasted and peeled)
- 0.35 oz fresh cilantro (or flat-leaf coriander)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 7 fl oz water
- 2 tablespoons oil (for sauce)
- Fresh parsley (as garnish)
- 1 oz green olives (as garnish)
- Small fresh or pickled chiles (as garnish, to taste)
- 1/2 small onion, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil (for serving)
Instructions
- Begin by thoroughly cleaning the catfish (about 2.2 lb), traditionally with water and ash, but you can substitute with a scrub under cold water and a touch of coarse salt for similar effect.
- Rinse well and pat dry.
- Slice the fish into steaks or fillets.
- Once cleaned, simmer or steam the catfish until just cooked.
- Sprinkle with the juice of 1-2 limes and about 1 teaspoon of salt, let rest for 15 minutes, then rinse again and pat dry.
- Cut the cooked catfish into bite-sized pieces.
- Dredge the catfish pieces in 3.5 oz of all-purpose flour, shaking off excess.
- Shallow fry in 1 cup of neutral oil until golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels and, for best texture, allow to rest overnight.
- Blend 1.1 lb fresh ripe tomatoes, 1 sprig of fresh cilantro (about 0.35 oz), 1/2 teaspoon each ground black pepper and ground cloves, and 1 roasted poblano chile.
- Cook this mixture in 2 tablespoons of oil, adding 7 fl oz water, and let simmer until thickened.
- Add the fried catfish, simmer gently for 5-10 minutes.
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley, pickled or fresh small chiles, a handful of green olives, finely sliced onion, and a drizzle of good olive oil.
Estimated Calories
420 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 25 minutes to cook the catfish and sauce. Preparing the ingredients, cleaning the fish, and getting everything ready takes around 45 minutes. Each serving has about 420 calories, and the recipe makes 4 servings.
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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