Flaki po warszawsku
Beef tripe soup
Flaki po warszawsku: Warsaw beef tripe soup with marjoram, nutmeg and meatballs
PolishWarsaw's old milk bars and wedding receptions share one great soup: flaki, a peppery tripe broth scented with marjoram, nutmeg and ginger, served piping hot, traditionally late at night to revive tired guests. The Warsaw version adds tender beef meatballs (pulpety) and plenty of julienned root vegetables, so it is heartier than the plain flaki of other regions. Tripe has a soft, slightly chewy bite and soaks up the warm spices. Buy cleaned, blanched beef tripe from a butcher. A mistake that ruins many pots is skipping the first blanching: without it the soup smells strongly and never tastes clean. Make it a day ahead if you can; it improves overnight. Chef's tip: add the marjoram twice, a spoon during cooking and a generous pinch rubbed between your palms just before serving, which is what gives Warsaw flaki its signature smell.
- Total time
- 240 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the soup
- 8 ¼ cups beef stock
- 2 carrotscut into thin matchsticks
- 1 parsley rootcut into thin matchsticks
- 5 ½ oz celeriaccut into thin matchsticks
- 1 leek, white partthinly sliced
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 3 tsp dried marjoram
- ½ tsp grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 tsp saltto taste
For the meatballs
- 10 ½ oz minced beef
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp dry breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Rinse the 2 ¼ lb cleaned beef tripe (from the butcher), put it in a large pot of cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes. Drain, discard the water and rinse the tripe again.
15 minStep 2: Return the tripe to the pot with the 8 ¼ cups beef stock, 3 bay leaves and 5 allspice berries. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 2 hours 30 minutes, until a knife pierces it easily and it feels tender, not rubbery. Top up with water if it drops below the tripe.
150 minStep 3: Lift out the tripe, let it cool slightly and cut it into thin strips, about 5 mm wide and 5 cm long. Return it to the broth.
10 minStep 4: Add the 2 carrots, 1 parsley root, 5 ½ oz celeriac and 1 leek, white part and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender.
15 minStep 5: Meanwhile mix the 10 ½ oz minced beef, 1 egg, 3 tbsp dry breadcrumbs, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper and roll into marble-sized meatballs with wet hands.
10 minStep 6: Drop the meatballs into the simmering soup and cook for 10 minutes, until they float and are cooked through to 160°F in the centre.
10 minStep 7: In a small pan, heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil over a medium heat, stir in the 2 tbsp plain flour and cook for 2 minutes to a light golden roux. Whisk in a ladle of hot broth until smooth, then stir it back into the soup and simmer 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
7 minStep 8: Season with two-thirds of the 2 tsp dried marjoram, the ½ tsp grated nutmeg, ½ tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Simmer 5 minutes more; it should be peppery and fragrant.
5 minStep 9: Serve very hot, rubbing the rest of the 1 tsp dried marjoram between your palms over each bowl, with fresh bread rolls on the side.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 15 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does flaki po warszawsku take?
- About 240 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 210 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
- What can I use instead of carrots?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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