The Swiss province of Ticino claims ownership of this hardy and nutritious soup. After the traditional Minestrone soup, the Busecca soup is perhaps the next best recognised soup beyond the Gotthard pass. This soup will surely warm you up on those cold winter days. So, please give tripe a go! Check out our article about tripe for a more depth of knowledge.
Ingredients:
50g butter
75g brown onion, cut into 1 cm cubes (i.e., brunoise)
75g carrots, brunoise
50g cabbage, brunoise
150g Sebago potato, brunoise
30g bacon, brunoise
50g celeriac, brunoise
50g Roma tomato concasse (i.e., roughly chopped)
1.5L vegetable bouillon
30g dry borlotti beans, soaked in lukewarm water overnight
250g honeycomb bovine tripe
75g parmesan cheese, grated
25g concentrated tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp each of fresh basil, sage and marjoram
Methods:
In a large pot over a medium heat, sweat the chopped onions, garlic, bacon and all other raw vegetables (except the Roma tomatoes) in butter for approximately 3 minutes.
Drain the borlotti beans and add them to the pot with the tomato paste. Cook ingredients for another 3 minutes.
Add in the vegetable bouillon and bring it to the boil, then immediately put on a medium-low simmer.
Add the honeycomb bovine tripe, ensure it is submerged in the liquid and leave on a gentle simmer for approximately 1 hour.
Add diced tomatoes, parmesan, basil, sage and marjoram. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This dish is served best in a soup bowl with warm, crunchy garlic bread. Buon appetito!
Image credit: Visto Che Buono: Social Cooking, "Busecca – Trippa alla Milanese." Retrieved on: 23 June 2015. Available from: http://goo.gl/G8HzDk.