Partied a little too much this weekend? Here's a morning remedy for you to share

Menudo: A spicy Mexican soup often times made from tripe (cow stomach), Menudo (not to be confused with Menudo, which may make your hangover worse) is supposed to cure even your deadliest hangovers. It is said to stimulate the senses, rejuvenate the insides, and clear the head. Most alcohol scholars, however, claim that the combination of spices in the soup simply distract your mind and body from the hangover.

Cook Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes (Start it right when you wake up)
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds honeycomb tripe

• 1 (1-1/2-pounds) veal knuckle

• 6 cups water

• 3 medium onions, chopped (1-1/2 cups)

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seed

• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1 (15-ounce) can hominy

• Pequin chiles or crushed red pepper (Crushed red pepper was used)

• Lime wedges

Preparation:
Cut tripe into 1-inch pieces. Place in a dutch oven with veal knuckle, water, onions, garlic, salt, coriander, oregano, the 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and pepper. Simmer, covered, for 3 hours till tripe has a clear, jellylike appearance and veal is very tender.
Remove veal knuckle from pot. When cool enough to handle, discard bones; chop meat and return to soup. Add undrained hominy; cover and simmer 20 minutes longer.
Serve with flour tortilla, pequin chiles or crushed red pepper to taste. Garnish with lime wedges.

Tip: If your inspired, make fresh homemade flour tortillas


Flour Tortillas

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 to 6 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
1 1/4 cups warm water (approximate)

In a large bowl, blend the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

With  your hands (recommended to use your hands) or blender cut in the lard or shortening. You want these ingredients to stick together slightly and hold together when squeezing in your hands.

* If the mixture crumbles, you do not have the shortening mixed in well or have too little 

* If it makes a hard clump them you need more flour and less shortening

Add the water all at once and mix the dough quickly with a fork or by hand until the dough forms into a mass.

Work it in the bowl, moving it around the sides to pick up any flour remaining in the bowl.

Knead the dough by folding it in half, pushing it down, and folding again. It should take about a dozen folds to form soft dough that is no longer sticky. 

Cover the dough with a towel or plastic wrap to let it rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.

Allowing the dough to rest lets any of the liquid absorb into the flour, which will give you a softer tortilla after cooking.

Take your ball of dough and begin rolling into balls about 1-inch big. Roll each of these into a tight ball by folding them over with your fingers, turning and repeating until it is shaped like a fat disk. Place it to one side of the mixing bowl and continue to do this until you have used all of the dough.

Before rolling out the tortillas, allow the dough balls to rest at least 10 minutes. 

On a lightly floured surface take one of the dough balls and begin to roll it out. To keep a somewhat round shape, roll one directions, make a 1/4 turn and roll again, make another 1/4 turn and roll. Continue to roll and turn until you the dough is about 1/8-inch thick and 8 to 10 inches in diameter.

*NOTE: You can roll the thinner or thicker, if you like. Just remember to adjust the cooking time for how thick they are rolled. I roll mine the way they are done in New Mexico – slightly thicker than any store bought ones.

Heat a iron griddle, or small skillet to about 450 degrees F. over medium to medium-high heat until water droplets "bounce" when dropped on the surface. You might have to increase or decrease the heat after you cook your first tortilla, but you should be able to tell if the tortilla is cooking too fast on the outside and still raw on the inside, or increase it if your tortilla is taking more than 30 seconds to begin to “puff” when placed on the skillet.

Place the raw tortilla on the preheated skillet and allow it to cook until it begins to puff up with air pockets, turn carefully since not only is the skillet hot. Each side should cook about 30 seconds, leaving the tortilla puffy. Press on a center part of the tortilla slightly to be certain the inside is cooked. If it looks as though it has compressed down and is a darker color, your dough is not cooked in the center and will need to be returned to the skillet.

Enjoy and hope you all had a safe and wonderful 4th of July weekend!