Tripe Soup

Beef tripe is a special ingredient that, if prepared correctly, can transform an ordinary meal into a memorable culinary experience. Start by thoroughly washing the beef tripe, carefully removing larger pieces of fat and cutting it into palm-sized pieces. This step is essential to ensure a pleasant texture of the final dish. In a kukta, place the 2-3 marrow bones, which will add a deep and rich flavor to the soup. Alongside them, add a whole onion, 3 peeled carrots, 2 parsley roots, and a piece of celery. On the ends of the bones, covered with salt, the flavors will concentrate in the soup. Don’t forget to add a few peppercorns and 2 hot peppers, which will give a touch of spiciness. Cover everything with water up to the maximum limit allowed by the kukta.

Put the kukta on the heat and, after it starts whistling, let it boil on medium heat for an hour and a half. After this interval, cool the kukta, carefully remove the pieces of tripe, and strain the soup through a sieve, obtaining a clear and aromatic liquid. This will be the base of your soup. You can also enjoy the boiled marrow from the bones spread on a slice of toasted bread, a delight in itself. Once the soup has cooled, cut the tripe into thin slices of about 3 cm long and add it to the 10-liter pot with the soup.

When the soup is no longer hot, prepare a mixture of 3 egg yolks beaten with 3 tablespoons of mustard, diluting it with a little of the soup. This mixture will color the soup into a slightly yellowish hue. Put the pot on the heat and, in the meantime, prepare a thickening from 5 tablespoons of flour, 400 g of sour cream, and 1 liter of milk. Mix the flour with the sour cream, then with the milk, being careful not to form lumps. Once the soup starts to boil, incorporate this thickening and complete with another liter of milk. If necessary, you can add hot water to fill the pot. Let it boil until the flour binds, and the soup achieves a consistency similar to thicker milk.

Now, it's time to adjust the taste of the soup. Add 3 tablespoons of vegeta, 1 teaspoon of ground pepper, 4 tablespoons of vinegar, oregano, and 2 finely chopped hot peppers. Boil for another 5 minutes and taste, adjusting with salt, pepper, vinegar, or hot peppers to your liking. Peel a large carrot, grate it, and sauté it in a little oil until it becomes soft and colors the oil orange. Add it to the soup at the end, to give it a more vibrant hue and a slightly sweet note.

Don’t forget about garlic! Peel two large heads, crush them well, and add them to the soup before turning off the heat. Finally, when you have taken the soup off the heat, incorporate the remaining 400 g of sour cream, mixing well. Taste again and, if you feel the need, you can add a little more vinegar to intensify the flavors. The tripe soup is now ready to be enjoyed, offering a perfect combination of flavors and textures that will surely delight everyone’s taste buds.