Mondongo Caribbean Style

By Minna LaFortune

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Feb. 19, 2016: Recently I was asked by some  of the readers of my column to list  my 10 favorite Caribbean  dishes. My 10 favorite Caribbean dishes are as follows:

Curried goat with white rice

Chicken Roti

Oil down

Cou cou with flying fish

Black Rice with Griot

Ackee and Saltfish with Roast Breadfruit Oxtail and Rice and Peas

Jerk Pork and rice and peas

Mondongo (tripe stew) with white rice

Today, I will share with you my recipe for Mondongo.

Mondongo is very popular Dominican Republic. Elsewhere the dish is called stewed tripe. The tripe is usually from the cow but sometimes pig tripe is used. Stewed tripe is not unique to the Caribbean, as it is also found in European and South American cuisines. It is usually cooked in a tomato sauce and served with white rice but sometimes it is also cooked in curry.

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs Cow tripe

3/4 gallon of water

3 sprigs of Thyme

8 Pimiento seeds

6 cilantro sprigs

6 cloves of Garlic

One large Chopped red Onions

Oregano from Dominica Republic

2 teaspoons of salt (or more, to taste)

1tsp Black pepper

1 teaspoon of chopped Scotch Bonnet Pepper

1/4 cup of chopped celery

2 green bell peppers, cut into small pieces

8 plum tomatoes cut into 4 quarters

2 large (cubed) potatoes

1 small can of tomato paste

METHOD

Bring Tripe and half of the seasonings, potatoes, peppers, salt and Tomato paste to boil until trip is very tender.

Continue to cook on a low flame.

Add the other half of the potatoes and tomatoes, peppers and seasonings.

Allow to cook.

Add more water if needed.

To thicken sauce crush a few pieces of potatoes and put into the sauce.

Cook until sauce thicken to your likeness.

Add more thyme and scotch bonnet pepper if needed.

Season with salt to taste.

Serve hot with White Rice.

Bon Appétit!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Minna LaFortune is a trained Caribbean caterer and also president, Society for the Advancement of the Caribbean Diaspora (SACD). Check out her food group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/bestfoodscaribbean/