INGREDIENTS
3 kg tripe cleaned and blanched
1 ox foot or calf’s foot
500g beef suet from the kidney
3 large onions – one of which will be studded with 2 cloves
2 cloves garlic
Thyme, bay leaf and 4 juniper berries, crushed
1 tsp mixed spice
3 rashers of smoked bacon
½ bottle of dry white wine
¾ litre of strong beef stock
6 carrots
6 leeks, white part only
Salt and milled black pepper
1 glass of calvados
Recipe continues
METHOD
Split and cut the ox foot into two lengthways and then cut each piece in half. Lay them down into the bottom of the thick earthenware dish to act as a base.
Cut the suet into three pieces. Place a piece of cling film over them and with a meat bat bash them until they are about 1cm thick.
Arrange in layer the tripe, onions and herbs. Add the spices and lay down the bacon. Put the bashed out suet between each layer of tripe.
Put the casserole on the stove over a fierce flame. Add the wine and bring it to the boil. Add the beef stock. Cover with tin foil and place the lid over the casserole dish. Cook in the oven 160C/320f for 3½ hours.
Remove the lid and add the carrots and leeks plus the glass of calvados. Replace the foil and the lid and return the tripe to the oven for a further 1 hour.
Remove the tripe and strain the sauce threw a colander over another saucepan. Bring the sauce to the boil and skim off all the surfacing suet fat.
Arrange the tripe on the serving plates, garnish with leeks and carrots. Serve with compote of apples flavoured with lemon sauce and steamed potatoes.
Serve a shot of Calvados (from Normandy) with this or a Sancerre Rosé.