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Title: Pepper Pot Soup Categories: Soup Yield: 8 Servings 1 lb Honeycomb tripe 5 sl Bacon; diced 1/2 c Peeled; chopped yellow onion 1/2 c Chopped celery 3 Leeks; cleaned, chopped 1 Bunch parsley; chopped 2 Bell peppers; chopped 2 qt Basic brown soup stock (see -recipe) or beef broth 1 ts Whole thyme leaves; or so 1/2 ts Marjoram 1/2 ts Ground cloves 1/4 ts Crushed red pepper flakes 1 Bay leaf 1 ts Fresh ground black pepper 1 lg Potato; peeled, diced 4 tb Each butter & flour; cooked -together to form a roux The common story is that George Washington told his cook to treat the boys at Valley Forge. Having only tripe and a few other odds and ends, he developed this soup. I love that story but the dish was probably developed in Philadelphia long before the war. During the late 1700s and early 1800s it was common to hear a black woman singing out this description of her wares: "Pepper pot, smokin' hot!" You can put as much pepper in this soup as you can stand! (Freshly cracked, of course.) Place the tripe in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Allow the tripe to cool a bit in the water and then drain and rinse. Cut into 1/4-inch dice. In a large heavy kettle, saut‚ the bacon until clear. Add the onion, celery, leeks, parsley, and green peppers; saut‚ until tender. Add the remaining ingredients except the potato, flour, and butter. Bring the kettle to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook, covered, until the tripe is very tender, about 2 hours. Add the diced potato and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Prepare the roux by stirring the flour into the melted butter and cooking for a moment on the stove. When the soup is done to your liking, stir in the roux and simmer, stirring all the while, until the soup thickens a bit. Correct the seasonings. It is common in Philadelphia, and among the Pennsylvania Dutch, to serve this dish with dumplings. It makes a full meal and it is just a wonderful blend of flavors. From Archive, http://www.erols.com/hosey. |