Eggs à la Tripe
‘Visually, as well as gastronomically, there is a great serenity to a plate of tripe and onions.’ - Fergus Henderson
The podcasts Dr Neil Buttery and I recorded on tripe have garnered a mixed response. Many a nose has wrinkled with disapproval at the thought of tripe. But there have been a some staunch supporters so I feel there is hope for this offal yet.
Some of the curious things I came across when researching tripe for the podcast were the recipes for eggs cooked in the style of tripe. Was this recipe designed as a meat free alternative for tripe haters or did the eggs serve as a substitute when no tripe was available? It’s something food writer Rachel Roddy and I discussed when we spoke in Episode 2. This short bit was not included in the original podcast episode so you can listen to it here:
You can find Rachel’s delicious recipe for the Roman version of eggs cooked in the style of tripe on the Guardian website.
In the eighteenth century Hannah Glasse simply prepare’s her eggs in a creamy sauce but many British recipes I came across opt for the milky onion sauce accompaniment championed by Fergus Henderson. Being unable to locate a tripe dresser in the south east of England I thought I’d have a go at making Eggs à la Tripe. Given that austerity is the theme of Season 1 of Comfortably Hungry I chose a recipe from Quick Suppers for Beginners by Rachel and Margaret Ryan. This cookbook was originally published in 1950 when Britain was still in the grip of rationing. The Ryan’s, who were related by marriage rather than birth, even mark the rationed ingredients in the recipe.
Eggs à la Tripe
Personally, I think the 30 minute estimate to prepare and cook this recipe is too short. I would allow at least an hour although the eggs could be boiled in advance and the sauce prepared ahead of time and reheated prior to grilling.
Ingredients - Serves 2 as a light lunch or supper
150ml whole milk
1 small bay leaf (fresh or dried) or a small sprig of fresh rosemary or thyme
3 black peppercorns
4 medium eggs
2 medium onions (c. 250g unpeeled weight)
25g unsalted butter plus an extra knob
100g chestnut mushrooms (optional)
1 rounded teaspoon plain flour (about 7g)
1 tablespoon milk or cream (if you have it)
Black pepper, salt and ground or freshly grated nutmeg to season
30g finely grated strong cheddar cheese (optional)
½ tablespoon finely snipped chives or finely chopped parsley (optional)
Method
At the end of their recipe, the Ryans stress the importance of seasoning this dish well. They do not suggest infusing the milk beforehand but I find this greatly enhances the overall flavour. Use whichever herb you have to hand even if it is the dried variety. If you don’t have any of the suggested aromatics you can skip this bit but make sure you season the sauce generously prior to serving.
The mushrooms and cheese are additions suggested by the Ryans although they do not classically appear in tripe (or eggs) with onions.
Place the milk in a small saucepan along with whichever herb you have chosen to aromatise the milk with and the three black peppercorns. Slowly bring up to boiling point then turn off the heat and leave to infuse. This can be for the time it takes to make the rest of the recipe or longer if you prefer.
Put the eggs in another saucepan. Cover with cold water then bring to the boil. Boil for seven minutes then plunge into a basin of cold water. Peel the eggs then reserve until required.
Peel the onions. Cut each onion in two through the root then cut each half into thinnish semi-circle slices. Heat the butter in a frying pan over a medium to low heat. Add the onions then fry until beginning to soften, stirring frequently. Do not allow the onions to take on any colour.
While the onions are cooking, finely chop the mushrooms. Once the onions are becoming tender add the mushrooms to the frying pan. Continue to cook the vegetables until they have softened.
Stir in the plain flour and continue to cook for a minute or so. Strain the infused milk into a jug. Gradually add the milk to the onion mixture, stirring well after each addition (you can do this while the pan is on a low heat). Continue to heat the sauce until it comes up to boiling point and is very thick. Turn off the heat then stir in the knob of butter and a tablespoon of milk or cream. If the sauce is too thick for your liking feel free to add a little more milk, although the liquid is designed to just coat rather than swamp the vegetables. Season generously with ground black pepper, salt and a good grating of nutmeg (or a pinch or two of ground nutmeg).
Preheat the grill to its highest setting. Spoon the onion mixture into an oven proof baking dish (or two individual oven proof dishes). Cut the eggs in half (or quarters) then place on top of the onion mixture. Scatter with grated cheese and place under the grill until the cheese is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately garnished with some chopped chives or parsley if you have some available.
Don’t forget to check out Episode 2 (featuring Rachel Roddy) and Episode 3 on tripe of the Comfortably Hungry podcast recorded with Dr Neil Buttery of the British Food History podcast. You can find Neil on Instagram: @dr_neil_buttery and Twitter: @neilbuttery.
Rachel Roddy has written three cookbooks to date and is working on her fourth. You can find Rachel on Instagram: @rachelaliceroddy or Twitter: @racheleats.
You can follow me on Twitter @sjfbilton and Instagram @mrssbilton or discover more about my work and books at sambilton.com.
Further Reading
The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (1747)
Nose to Tail Eating by Fergus Henderson (1999)
Quick Dinners for Beginners by Rachel and Margaret Ryan (1950)