Honeycomb tripe

Bonnet

What it is

The reticulum is the second stomach, and the honeycomb is not decoration but a trap — which is why cattle are dosed with a magnet that sits in this chamber for life and holds any swallowed wire away from the heart. In the kitchen the same pockets hold sauce, and that is why Roman trippa and Spanish callos both name this stomach and not the other three.

In the kitchen

It is the tripe that stays tender, so it forgives the long cook: two hours in tomato and it still yields where gras-double would be firm. Add the mint off the heat at the end — the Roman version depends on it, and boiling reduces it to hay.

Goes with

Mint Pecorino Romano San Marzano tomato Chickpeas Chorizo Pimentón de la Vera Celery Onion

Same species

Abura-kasu Amourettes (spinal marrow) Spider steak Bastourma Flank steak Beef

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