Menudo

Menudo

Every culture has great restorative stew of humble origin and ingredients. In New Mexico it is menudo, a wonderfully aromatic soup made of tripe, hominy and chile, and is stewed for hours with garlic and other spices. The broth is rich, red, papery, and glistens with fat. It stimulates the senses, arms the insides, and clears the head.

Menudo Recipe:

1 calf's foot (about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds) cut into 4 pieces
2 pounds honeycomb tripe
1 large onion
3 cloves garlic, peeled
6 peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
4 quarts of water
A comal or griddle
3 large chiles anchos
A spice grinder
A large chile poblano, peeled or 2 canned, peeled green chiles
1/2 cup canned hominy (1 pound) drained (see note below)
Salt as necessary
1 scant teaspoon oregano

Directions:

1. Cut the tripe into small squares. Put them into the pan with the rest of the ingredients.
2. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, or until the tripe and foot are just tender but not too soft. Meanwhile, t
3. Toast the chilies well. Slit them open and remove the seeds and veins from the chile poblano, cut it into strips, and add to the meat while it is cooking.
4. Remove the pieces of calf's foot from the pan, and when they are cool enough to handle, strip off the fleshy parts. Chop them roughly and return them to the pan.
5. Add hominy and continue cooking the menudo slowly, still uncovered, for another 2 hours.
6. Add salt as necessary. Sprinkle with oregano and serve (see note below).

Serve in large, deep bowls with hot tortillas and have small dishes of chopped chile serranos, finely chopped onion and wedges of lime for each person to help himself, along with Salsa de Tomate Verde Cruda to be eaten with tortillas.

Yield: 7-8 servings