Bacalao Cocido En Tesis Salsa

This recipe hails from a handwritten family manuscript in Durango, dated 1914, a moment when Mexican households, especially in the north, navigated both tradition and great societal change. Recipes were passed from woman to woman, and family cookbooks like this were practical guides and cherished heirlooms. Salt cod (bacalao) was a revered Lenten and festive ingredient, and the careful sourcing, soaking, and seasoning found in this recipe reflect both global and local influences. The use of ancho chiles and the gentle thickening with bread point to a blending of colonial Spanish techniques with indigenous flavors, all set down in spontaneous, narrative style.

The original cook would have employed a sturdy molcajete (stone mortar and pestle) to grind the chiles and spices by hand, lending the sauce a special texture and flavor. Cooking was likely done over a wood-fired or charcoal stove in heavy clay or cast iron pots, while bread for thickening might be bits left from previous days. Chopping was done with simple, well-worn kitchen knives, and soaking the cod and chiles took place in earthenware bowls. A large wooden spoon stirred the bubbling pot, bringing everything together with care and patience.