Menudo (tripe Soup)

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02

Title: MENUDO (TRIPE SOUP)
Categories: Mexican, Soups
Yield: 10 servings

2 1/2 lb Tripe
1/2 Calf's foot
1/3 c Vinegar
Cold water
2 Cloves garlic
1/2 sm Onion
3 qt Water (approx.)
Salt
1 1/2 c Hominy
Red Chile Puree (see below)
-OR 1 cup canned red chile
Sauce
Finely chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro leaves
Lemon wedges
Corn tortillas, heated
Red Chile Puree:
8 California chiles (1/4 lb)
2/3 c Water

Scrape off any fat from tripe. Cut tripe into 1-inch
squares. Place tripe and calf's foot in a large bowl.
Add vinegar and cold water to cover generously. Let
stand 3 hours. Drain. Rinse tripe and calf's foot
thoroughly. Place in a large pot. Add garlic and
onion. Pour in water to cover ingredients plus 1 to 1
1/2 inches, about 3 quarts. Add salt to taste. Bring
to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 6 hours
or until tripe is tender. After 1 hour, skim foam
from surface of soup. Skim again as needed. Add more
water if liquid evaporates. Prepare Red Chile Puree.
Add hominy and Red Chile Puree during last hour of
cooking. Ladle into large bowls. Serve chopped green
onions, cilantro, lemon wedges and hot corn tortillas
separately. Makes 10 to 15 servings.
Red Chile Puree: Remove stems from chiles. Break
chiles open and rinse out seeds. Place in a saucepan
with water to cover. Bring to a boil. Continue to
boil until chiles are softened, about 5 minutes.
Drain; discard water. Place chiles in blender; puree.
Add enough water to make puree the consistency of
tomato sauce. Press pureed chiles through a sieve to
remove bits of peel. Makes about 1 cup.
Variation: Substitute 1 1/2 cups nixtamal (cooked
dried corn) for canned hominy. Combine with soaked
tripe and calf's foot, garlic, onion and water. Cook
as directed above.

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