Platos típicos de Madrid (III): callos a la madrileña

A new chapter in our series on traditional Madrid dishes has arrived. As you already know, we like to recommend the most delicious and attractive dishes for travelers and/or tourists who come to the Spanish capital not just to enjoy the people and its urban charm, but also for its cuisine. In previous posts we explained the ins and outs of preparing cocido madrileño and Madrid-style red sea bream, so today we want to talk another one of the most popular dishes, Madrid-style tripe.

April is a perfect month to stroll through the streets of Madrid in search of a restaurant, bar or terrace, if the weather is right, to enjoy a great dish of Madrid-style tripe. This recipe usually contains (or should contain) ingredients such as beef tripe and/or snout, bacon, blood sausage, chorizo and marbled ham. That is the meat portion. The other ingredients include garlic, onion, bay leaf, flour, paprika, olive oil and salt.

The most appropriate and attractive way for the tripe to be served at the table is in a clay dish alongside a good red wine. Some may be turned off by its texture, which is gelatinous, but if you don’t get caught up in the minutiae, you will discover one of the most authentic flavors of Madrid cuisine.

As you read above, this dish is known for containing certain ingredients which initially may not sound very appealing, above all for those who are unfamiliar with how delicious they taste. That is why we are telling those of you who have never had the pleasure of trying Madrid-style tripe, don’t get carried away by mere words, let the flavor seduce you! You won’t regret it.

Photo: Javier Lastras (Flickr)

Categories: Gastronomía