You asked for it, and you got it. This week we're looking for your best recipe featuring the "other" parts of the beast -- we're open to anything from liver to sweetbreads to tripe to cockscombs. This is your opportunity to celebrate the entire animal, nose to tail!
These are not your usual contests. We have a slightly nutty system but it works. Together, the Food52 community has created two cookbooks this way -- there’s no stopping us now. Read about it
Read about it »
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These pickled onions are pink from beets, sweet and tangy from sugar and cider vinegar, and fresh and herbal from cilantro.
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A reconstituted ancho chili, sans seeds, is one of the many marinade ingredients.
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Drizzling honey into the food processor (that's instant espresso and peanut butter below it).
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Smoked sweet paprika -- the ingredient of choice these days -- goes in as well. Sarah pointed out that the spice oddly matches Merrill's lipstick in this shot.
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Everything gets whizzed in the food processor, and you have a complex, incredible smelling marinade.
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Amanda can't resist stealing a closer sniff.
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She then dons her Ice Milk apron for the tough task of browning the marinated beef cheeks -- tongs at the ready.
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Once the beef is richly caramelized, it's time for braising.
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The juice of three limes, one cup of chicken stock and the rest of the marinade go into the pot. Nothing goes to waste here!
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3 1/2 hours later...
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Merrill coaxes the butter-tender meat into bite-sized chunks with two forks, while Amanda prepares to slice an avocado for the tacos.
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Some beef cheek, a slice or two of avocado, several strips of pickled onion and a pinch of fresh cilantro: et viola!
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Had to include this one.
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Us fussing over the ingredient shot.
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Merrill bravely washes the tripe, which feels vaguely like a shower cap.
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Merrill keeps a safe distance.
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Is that a cow's stomach or a beautiful piece of fabric? Slice your tripe about this size (Amanda has average size hands).
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Into the pot!
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That is some green celery.
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Merrill works while Amanda has a work-out, running lids to and from the pantry, like sprinting suicides on a basketball court. Not really, but she fantasizes.
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Our tripe and its sauce. You can't tell by the photo, but that simmering tripe -- oooh! is it "aromatic"!
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That's Kristen in the background -- she's cooking up beet fusilli for the Wildcard photo.
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Waiting to add the celery and celery leaves to the onions.
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Our tripe passes the tender test.
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Tripe all tangled up with the celery and onion.
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The tomato sauce seeps into the tripe.
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Our tools.
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pierino -- have we done you proud?
