terra’s tripe stew

We visited Terra in St Helena earlier this year whilst on our US West Coast foodie tour of Napa and SFC. I remember feeling particularly poorly the night we dined there as we were coming to the end of the Napa leg of our trip, and had drank our way through a decent number of wineries. We both craved something with plenty of tomatoes (the acidity helps perk up a jaded palate), so ordered a Lobster Spaghetti for our mains. For starters I opted for a soothing Sopa de Ajo (garlic soup) and B chose the Tripe Stew which was just sensational. Both packed a real punch in terms of flavour despite being made with such humble ingredients.

Tonight with the aid of Terra’s cookbook we are recreating the dish at home, minus the white beans (I don’t care for them) and beefed up with linguine to serve as a main. If you have never cooked tripe before you’ll be struck by the strong, not altogether pleasant smell it gives off when blanching. Don’t be put off by this as it mellows during cooking, taking on the flavours of the vegetables, herbs and spices, resulting in a delicious robust stew. If you can’t be bothered with the pasta just serve with some crusty bread* to mop up all the juices.

Linguine with Tripe Stew
(adapted from Terra: Cooking from the Heart of Napa Valley)
serves 4

blanched tripe:
1 kg ox (honeycomb) tripe, cleaned
60ml rice vinegar
1 medium carrot, halved
1 stalk celery, halved
1 small onion, halved
5 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 tbsp salt

stew:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp dried basil
150ml dry white wine
700ml chicken stock
2 tbsp tomato puree
6 tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and diced
freshly ground black pepper
salt

450g linguine
160g parmesan, freshly grated
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil

First, blanch the tripe. Place the tripe in a large stock pot and top up with water. Bring to a boil and skim off any foam that develops. Add the vinegar, return to the boil and skim again. Add the rest of the ingredients, then place a lid smaller than the pot to hold the tripe under the liquid. Simmer for 45 minutes. Drain and leave to cool. Trim the tripe and cut into 2 inch strips (about 1/2 inch wide). Set aside.

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Heat a cast iron pot (dutch oven) on the hob on a high heat and add the garlic and olive oil, cooking until the garlic is lightly browned. Add the chopped vegetables, chilli flakes and dried basil and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the blanched tripe and wine, bring to a boil, then add all remaining ingredients. Bring back to a boil and skim, then season with salt and pepper.

Cut a circle of parchment paper that just fits inside the pan and place on the stew to cover. Cook in the preheated oven for 90 minutes or until the tripe is tender. Remove the paper and return to the hob, reduce on a low to medium flame for approximately 10 minutes (if unlike me you like beans, you can add 2/3 cup of cooked white beans at this stage).

While the stew is reducing, cook the linguine in a large pot of salted boiling water according to packet instructions until al dente and drain. To finish the dish, stir the basil, half of the grated parmesan and 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil into the stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then add the linguine, mix and heat through. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, sprinkled with the remaining parmesan and olive oil.

*if you do plan to serve with bread, do note that the above portions will only be sufficient for 2-3. You will also still need to finish off with the parmesan as it helps to flavour and intensify the stew.

~ by gourmettraveller on October 17, 2009.