Lampredotto al Lampredottaio Fiorentino

Ingredients

• 1 kg abomasum (fourth stomach of the cow), cleaned and trimmed of all fat
• 60 ml white wine vinegar, for the initial acidulated water boil
• For the braise
• 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, whole sprigs
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, halved
• 10 g fine salt
• For the salsa verde
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, finely chopped
• 30 g capers, salted, rinsed and finely chopped
• 4 anchovy fillets anchovies, in oil, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 80 ml extra-virgin olive oil
• 15 ml white wine vinegar
• To serve
• 4 semelle (Florentine crusty rolls), crusty outside, absorbent crumb within — not ciabatta, not brioche
• 1 tsp hot sauce (salsa piccante), per sandwich, or to taste

Method

1. 1
   Place the cleaned abomasum in a large pot and cover generously with cold water. Add the white wine vinegar. Bring to the boil and maintain a steady boil for 30 minutes. This pre-treatment draws out the stomach's pronounced off-flavours. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. The abomasum should smell clean and faintly mineral — any persisting ammonia or barnyard odour indicates insufficient boiling; return it to fresh acidulated water and repeat.
2. 2
   Place the blanched abomasum in a clean pot. Add the parsley, celery, carrot, onion, tomatoes and salt. Cover with cold water by at least 5 cm. Bring to the boil, then immediately reduce to the gentlest possible simmer — the surface should barely shiver. Braise for 2 to 3 hours. The abomasum is ready when it yields entirely to a skewer with no resistance and a cut surface shows a uniform, almost gelatinous tenderness throughout. This is where the dish lives or dies: under-braised lampredotto is tough and aggressive; correctly braised lampredotto is unctuous, giving and deeply flavoured.
3. 3
   While the abomasum braises, prepare the salsa verde. Combine the finely chopped parsley, capers, anchovies and garlic in a bowl. Work in the olive oil gradually until the sauce is loose but not thin. Add the wine vinegar and adjust seasoning. The finished sauce should be vivid green, sharp on the palate and fragrant with herb and brine — taste and confirm that neither the anchovy nor the vinegar dominates alone.
4. 4
   Remove the abomasum from the broth and slice into strips approximately 1 cm wide. Return the slices to the hot broth and keep at a gentle simmer. The broth must remain simmering throughout service — lampredotto served at any temperature below steaming is incorrect preparation. The surface of the broth should show a slow, steady movement.
5. 5
   Split each semelle without fully separating the halves. Load the bottom half with a generous quantity of lampredotto slices lifted from the broth. Apply salsa verde liberally; add salsa piccante if serving in the Florentine manner. Then perform la bagnata: hold the top half of the roll by its crust and submerge only the cut face into the simmering broth for 3 to 4 seconds — no more, no less. The bread should emerge visibly darkened and glistening with absorbed broth but structurally intact, holding its shape when pressed lightly with a finger. Two seconds yields a dry, unintegrated top; six seconds yields a disintegrating one. Close the sandwich immediately and serve.