Mondonguito a la Italiana (Peruvian-Italian Tripe Stew)

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Steps

1. 1
   The day before: Steam the Huayro potatoes whole, with skin on. Let them cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. This firms the skin so it adheres well during frying and gives the potato a thermal advantage when hitting hot oil.

   Tip: The overnight cold rest is key to getting extra-crispy skin on the fried potato.

   ~30 min
2. 2
   Rehydrate the dried mushrooms: Place them in a bowl with warm water for at least 15 minutes. Drain and roughly chop.

   ~15 min
3. 3
   Make the tomato concassé: Score a small cross on the bottom of each tomato and remove the stem end. Blanch in boiling water for 20–30 seconds until the skin starts to split, then transfer immediately to ice water to stop cooking. Peel, quarter, remove seeds, and dice finely.

   Tip: Riper tomatoes need less time in the boiling water. Use a sharp knife and only cut the skin, not the flesh, when scoring.

   ~10 min
4. 4
   Prepare the court-bouillon: Place cold water, leek, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, spearmint, and optional carrot in a pot. Bring to the boil starting from cold (expansion cooking) to saturate the broth with flavour.

   Tip: Starting cold draws maximum flavour from the aromatics into the liquid.

   ~10 min
5. 5
   Cook the tripe: Once the court-bouillon is boiling, add the tripe pieces (concentration cooking — hot liquid seals the exterior). Simmer over medium heat for 35–45 minutes until the tripe is tender but still has a slight bite. Remove the tripe with a spider/slotted spoon and spread on a flat tray to cool. Reserve the cooking broth.

   Tip: Spreading on a flat tray rather than a bowl speeds up cooling significantly. If using domestic (national) tripe, extend cooking to about 2 hours.

   ~45 min
6. 6
   Build the sofrito: Heat a wide, heavy pot until very hot, then add the oil. Add the brunoise onion and cook over high heat, stirring, until lightly golden (about 3–4 minutes). Add the minced garlic and stir briefly.

   Tip: Pre-heating the pot means the cold onion drops the temperature less, allowing quicker caramelisation.

   ~5 min
7. 7
   Add ají panca paste and cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it loses its raw smell and darkens slightly. Ají panca needs the longest cooking time of all the chillies as it is indigestible when raw.

   Tip: Chillies are thermosensitive — heat modifies their compounds and reduces bitterness; give them proper time.

   ~7 min
8. 8
   Add ají amarillo paste and cook for a further 3–4 minutes, then add the tomato concassé. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes almost dissolve into the sauce (about 5 minutes). Reduce heat slightly if the mixture is cooking too fast.

   Tip: The aderezo is ready when the fat separates and rises to the sides — 'cortado' or 'matado' in Peruvian kitchen language.

   ~8 min
9. 9
   Add the ground cumin, bay leaves, a generous grind of black pepper, white wine, and the chopped rehydrated mushrooms. Stir well and cook for 2–3 minutes so the wine reduces slightly and the aromatics integrate.

   Tip: The combination of bay leaf and white wine is a flavour classic — it evokes Italian-influenced Peruvian criollo cooking.

   ~3 min
10. 10
    Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Add the carrot batons, then ladle in about 1–2 cups of the reserved tripe broth to moisten the stew. The liquid will cook the carrots and build the saucy base.

    Tip: The tripe broth is packed with gelatin and umami — use it instead of water or stock for a much deeper flavour.

    ~5 min
11. 11
    Cut the cooled tripe into batons (cook in larger pieces first, then cut — this keeps their shape). Add the tripe batons to the stew, stir to coat, and add more reserved broth so the stew is quite saucy. Bring to a final simmer for 5–8 minutes to amalgamate all flavours.

    Tip: Cutting tripe into final batons only after cooking prevents them from falling apart and becoming mushy.

    ~8 min
12. 12
    Turn off the heat. Add the fresh green peas — they will cook with the residual heat. Add a final grind of black pepper and stir in the chiffonade parsley, reserving some for garnish.

    Tip: Peas added off heat stay bright green and retain a fresh sweetness.

    ~2 min
13. 13
    Fry the potatoes: Remove the chilled pre-cooked potatoes from the fridge and cut into thick wedges or large batons, skin on. Heat frying oil to 170–180 °C. Fry in batches until golden and very crispy (about 4–5 minutes per batch). Drain on paper towels.

    Tip: The cold pre-cooked potato creates a thermal shock when it hits the hot oil — this is the secret to a supremely crispy exterior with a creamy floury interior.

    ~10 min
14. 14
    To serve: Place some crispy potato wedges in the base of a shallow bowl or deep plate. Spoon the mondongo stew generously over and alongside the potatoes so they begin to absorb the sauce. Grate or shave Parmesan on top, add more crispy potatoes on top, and finish with whole parsley leaves and remaining chiffonade. Serve immediately with white rice on the side.

    Tip: Some potatoes go in the base to soak up the sauce, and more go on top to stay crispy — the contrast of textures is essential to the dish.

    ~5 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Giacomo Bocchio

TE VOY A ENSEÑAR A PREPARAR UN MONDONGUITO A LA ITALIANA | GIACOMO BOCCHIO

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