Recipe Manuscript

Nopalitos En Adobo

Name: Nopalitos En Adobo
Prep time: PTPT25M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4-5 dried ancho chiles (~30 grams); 2-3 garlic cloves; 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds; 30 grams rustic bread; 45 ml white or apple cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons lard (substitute: vegetable oil); 250 ml water; 1 teaspoon salt (to taste); 100 grams aged cheese (cotija or feta); 1 small onion (about 80 grams); 400 grams cooked and cleaned nopal cactus (substitute: cooked green beans or zucchini strips if needed)

"Nopalitos In Adobo"

1900

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Notebook of Traditional and Original Mexican Recipes

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)American Intermediate Lunch Dinner

Original Recipe • 1900

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Nopalitos En Adobo

"remojados los chiles anchos se muelen con dientes de ajo asados y unos poquitos de cominos y migajon de pan remojado en vinagre esto se pone a freir en manteca y estandolo se le echa agua suficiente sal un poco de vinagre trocitos de queso añejo y cebollas cosidas y partidas en gajos hasta se ponen a hervir los nopalitos ya cocidos y limpios."

English Translation

"Soak the ancho chiles, then grind them with roasted garlic cloves, a few cumin seeds, and some bread crumbs soaked in vinegar. Fry this mixture in lard, and while doing so, add enough water, salt, a little vinegar, pieces of aged cheese, and onions that have been cooked and cut into wedges. When ready, add the nopalitos (already cooked and cleaned) and let everything boil together."

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe is written in a continuous sentence with fluid, conversational instructions, as was typical of personal cookbooks during this era. It assumes a working knowledge of ingredient preparation and cooking techniques, using minimal measurements and leaving much to the cook’s intuition. Spelling and usage (such as 'manteca' for lard, or 'cosidas' for 'cooked') reflect regional Mexican Spanish of the time and the informality of handwritten recipes intended for personal or family use. Modern readers may need to interpret and adjust quantities to suit contemporary kitchens.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Notebook of Traditional and Original Mexican Recipes - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Notebook of Traditional and Original Mexican Recipes (1900)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1900

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey through the flavors of Mexico, this notebook brims with both traditional and original recipes—from sopa de chile to sangria—inviting you to savor the vibrant tastes and inventive spirit of Mexican home cooking at the turn of the century.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe, 'Nopalitos en adobo', comes from a Mexican cooking notebook dated 1900, a handwritten treasury of traditional and original Mexican dishes. Such notebooks were often compiled by home cooks and passed through generations, assembling both household standards and innovative, local adaptations. Reflecting the culinary landscape of turn-of-the-century Mexico, this dish celebrates the nopal cactus—a staple in Mexican kitchens—and showcases adobo, an ancient sauce technique rich in flavor, depth, and the use of preserved cheeses and simple aromatics out of necessity and tradition.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1900, this recipe would have been prepared with basic yet sturdy kitchen tools: a metate or molcajete to grind chiles, garlic, cumin, and soaked bread; a cazuela (earthenware pot) or heavy skillet for frying and simmering the sauce; long-handled wooden spoons for constant stirring; a simple pot for boiling the onions and nopalitos; and a knife for cutting cheese and vegetables. Cooking was done over a wood or charcoal hearth, with the careful attention of an experienced home cook.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

25 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

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

4-5 dried ancho chiles (~1 ounce)
2-3 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 ounce rustic bread
3 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lard (substitute: vegetable oil)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
3.5 ounces aged cheese (cotija or feta)
1 small onion (about 3 ounces)
14 ounces cooked and cleaned nopal cactus (substitute: cooked green beans or zucchini strips if needed)

Instructions

To prepare 'Nopalitos en adobo' with modern methods, begin by soaking 4-5 dried ancho chiles in hot water for 15 minutes until soft.
Roast 2-3 garlic cloves in a dry pan.
Blend the softened chiles with the roasted garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and about 1 ounce of bread (preferably day-old or rustic style) previously soaked in 2 tablespoons of white or apple cider vinegar.
Blend until smooth.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of lard (or vegetable oil).
Add the chile mixture and fry gently, stirring, until aromatic, about 5-8 minutes.
Add about 1 cup of water, 1 teaspoon salt (to taste), and another splash of vinegar (about 1 tablespoon).
Stir well.
Add 3.5 ounces of aged cheese (like cotija or feta) cut into small cubes and 1 small onion, boiled until tender and then cut into wedges.
Lastly, add 14 ounces of cooked and cleaned nopal cactus strips.
Simmer everything gently for 10-15 minutes to blend flavors and serve warm.

Estimated Calories

270 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will need about 25 minutes to prepare your ingredients and workspace. Cooking everything together takes around 30 minutes. Each serving has about 270 calories. This 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.