My mother and father were both good cooks, and both of them had definite opinions about how things should be done in the kitchen. But this dish was my father's—his alone—so my mother never said a word about it. I like to call it the "tripe of my father," aita being the Basque word for "father." It is a rustic family-style dish that satisfies the appetite and nourishes the soul.

　　As you cook honeycomb tripe, it will throw off a lot of liquid, which eliminates the need for stock and flavors the sauce. Like most braises, this tastes even better the next day.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　2 tablespoons olive or grape seed oil

　　1 large onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick or thinner

　　1/2 cup garlic cloves, chopped

　　2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-wide strips

　　1 1/2 pounds honeycomb beef tripe, purchased partially cooked, cut into 1-inch squares

　　1 large, ripe tomato, cored and coarsely chopped

　　1 tablespoon tomato paste

　　Bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley wrapped in a cheesecloth sachet or tied with kitchen twine

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground

　　1/4 cup homemade coarse fresh bread crumbs

　　

Step 1

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and warm it until it ripples. Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers, stir, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and begun to turn golden. Stir in the tripe, tomato, and tomato paste and add the bouquet garni and enough water to just barely cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until the tripe is tender when pierced with a fork (or try biting into a piece).

　　

Step 2

Remove from the heat. If the tripe and vegetables have given off a lot of liquid and the sauce seems thin, strain the contents of the pan and set the tripe and vegetables aside. Return the liquid to the pan, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Stir the tripe and vegetables into the reduced sauce and season with salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to medium to reheat the tripe and thicken the sauce further. The dish should be stewlike, neither soupy nor dry. (At this point, the dish can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before continuing.)

　　

Step 3

To serve, preheat the broiler. Transfer the tripe, vegetables, and sauce to a broiler-proof shallow gratin dish or 4 individual baking dishes. Scatter the bread crumbs evenly on top, and broil until golden.

　　To Drink

　　This dish calls for something not too heavy or too fruity. A dry Tempranillo from Penedès, in Catalonia, is perfect.

　　Reprinted with permission from Pintxos: Small Plates in the Basque Tradition by Gerald Hirigoyen with Lisa Weiss, copyright © 2009. Photography copyright © 2009 by Maren Caruso. Published by Ten Speed Press.