Recipe(tried): Buseca (Garbanzo-Bean-and-Tripe Soup)

In Puerto Rico we call this recipe Mondongo Criollo and is the perfect soup for sustaining those guests that had lingered in our parties since the afternoon.

Buseca (Garbanzo-Bean-and-Tripe Soup)
(Source: ''Latin Ladles,'' by Douglas Rodriguez, Ten Speed Press, 1997)

1 pound honeycomb tripe
2 tablespoons plus 1 cup distilled white vinegar
7 bay leaves
1 tablespoon red-pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
2 white onions, diced
4 plum tomatoes, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
1 gallon (16 cups) beef stock
1/2 cup dried garbanzo beans, soaked in water overnight and drained
1 cup dried white navy beans
2 turnips, peeled and diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/2 head white cabbage, shredded
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed well
12 ounces chorizo sausage, casing removed, sausage thinly sliced
12 ounces morcilla sausage, casing removed, sausage thinly sliced. (optional)
1 cup grated queso blanco or other fresh cheese
5 sprigs basil, leaves julienned.


Thoroughly rinse the tripe under cold running water. Fill a large bowl with 6 cups ice water and add 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Place the tripe in the bowl and soak for 30 minutes. Remove from the water, pat dry and cut into 1-inch cubes. In a large stockpot, combine the tripe, 5 bay leaves, pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, 1 gallon (16 cups) water and the remaining 1 cup vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook at a full boil for 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool. Drain the tripe, rinse in cold water and reserve. In another large stockpot over high heat, combine the oil, onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsley and remaining 2 bay leaves. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock, reserved tripe, garbanzo beans, white navy beans and turnips, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the carrots, cabbage and rice. Recover and simmer for another hour. Add the chorizo, morcilla, cheese and basil. Stir and simmer 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.