Tripe soup is something that not everyone will like, it has a very unique flavour and the texture of the tripe itself can turn people off.  I can’t really ever remember not liking it because it was something I grew up with though it wasn’t something we would have very often.  This is the kind of soup that if you like it, you will love it on a cold winter day with a nice buttered piece of crusty bread.  We don’t make this soup often but when I was in the Czech Republic with my mother every time we stopped at a restaurant we would look for this soup and if it happened to be on the menu we would order it.  Together with a nice basket of several types of bread and a glass of rezane* beer would make it a fabulous meal! There was one pub that had this soup weekly on their menu and during our vacation we went to that particular pub specifically for this soup several times.

* “Rezane” or “cut” beer is part dark and part light beer mixed half and half that is purchased by the glass.

• 1 lb Tripe washed
• 6 Cups Water
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 Tablespoons Flour
• 1 Onion (diced)
• 1 heaping Tablespoon Paprika (the Dark Red Hungarian kind has the best flavour)
• 1 teaspoon Marjoram
• 2 – 3 Crushed Garlic Cloves
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil the tripe until tender, once the tripe is tender (about an hour) take it out and slice into bite-sized strips then put back into the pot of liquid.  In the meantime fry a diced onion in the butter until translucent, then add flour and brown lightly.  Once the onion and flour have browned add the paprika and take the pan off the element.  If the pan is left on the element the paprika will burn easily and if this happens it will taste bitter.  Add the seasoned roux to the pot of water with the tripe and bring to a boil to thicken. Add the crushed garlic and marjoram.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Many recipes will add potatoes, ham, hot dogs or other smoked meat, we never did. However, I will say that as I sit here eating the last bowl, I think I will probably add some chorizo next time I make it. Chorizo is a nice meaty sausage with great flavour that I think would lend itself beautifully to the flavour of the soup.