RAINY DAY FOOD

BRAISED TRIPE W/PENNE

FROM THE INIMITABLE JEREMIAH TOWER'S MASTERPIECE, NEW AMERICAN CLASSICS:

"I used to cook tripe with a fanatical devotion. Recently we revived it at Stars, as a first course served in little polenta cups. Much to my amazement, it is a big hit. But the first time i ever cooked this grand favorite dish of mine was at Chez Panisse. As with all braising, the secret is long, very slow cooking. The question, in a restaurant open for both lunch and dinner, was when to cook this grand dish. i decided, since some ancient book had recommended leaving it in the fireplace overnight, to cook it in the ovens overnight."



tower didn't include a recipe for tripe in his cookbook but paul bertolli did in his book, chez panisse cooking. chis lee used to do tripe cooked in the fireplace for his sunday brunch at the late lamented eccolo. it was smoky & rich. his was w/o penne pasta but he topped his w/a perfect poached egg.
the dish here was very rich & certainly rib-sticking, a perfect meal for a rainy, windy, coldish evening in north california. i used some niman ranch bacon fat to begin the saute & simulate the smoky flavors of a fireplace. the end result was quite delicious & deeply satisfying.