Tripe madrid-style

After reading an article in The Guardian singing the praises of tripe (low fat, packed with vitamins and cheap) we decided it was time to re-visit this often overlooked offal. B’s first effort with tripe a few month’s back was a punchy tomato-based number and this one is not too dissimilar, but with fuller flavours and deep smoky undertones thanks to the addition of chorizo and paprika. Adapted from Simon Hopkinson’s Roast Chicken and Other Stories (who in turn adapted his from The Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas), one can imagine eating this in a rustic Spanish tapas bar accompanied by a basket of crusty bread and a bottle or two of Rioja. The original recipe calls for pig’s trotter but I couldn’t get hold of any so have replaced it with a small slab of pork belly which actually works really well and may be a more palatable option for some (although I imagine if you’re happy to eat tripe you’d probably be equally happy tucking into trotters!).

Tripe Madrid-Style (Callos a la Madrilena)

(adapted from Simon Hopkinson’s Roast Chicken and Other Stories)

serves 4

500g (1 lb) ox tripe

150g (1/3 lb) pork belly

125g (4 1/2 oz) chorizo, peeled and sliced

75g (3 oz) proscuitto (or similar cured ham), diced

2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

10 black peppercorns, lightly crushed

2 onions, peeled and chopped

8 cloves garlic, peeled

100ml (4 fl oz) dry white wine

1 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp paprika

2 sprigs parsley

3 sprigs thyme

whole nutmeg

2 bay leaves

2 cloves

salt

Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F).

First place the tripe whole in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil then drain.

When cool to touch cut the tripe into small squares and put in a saucepan together with the wine, tomatoes, pork belly, cloves, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, garlic, half the chopped onions, a generous grating of nutmeg and a good pinch of salt.

Top up with 900ml of water then bring to the boil on the stove. Cover with a lid and place in the preheated oven to gently cook for 2 hours.

In a frying pan on a medium flame heat the oil and fry the remaining onions until soft and lightly coloured. Pop in the chorizo and ham and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, then the flour and cook on a low heat for a further few minutes.

Remove the tripe from the oven and strain into a bowl. Take out the pork belly and remove the skin and top layer of fat, then cut the remainder into rectangles. Add 2 large ladles of the cooking liquor to the chorizo mixture, stirring to thicken.

Put the tripe back into the original pan along with the pork belly and the chorizo mixture and cover. Return to the oven and cook for another hour.

Serve immediately in warmed bowls with a large basket of crusty bread and a lightly dressed salad.