Casa Garcia Makes Mucho Menudo

Most people in Orange County know Frank Garcia best for his incredible Thanksgiving generosity: Each year, he closes his Casa Garcia restaurant in Anaheim and turns it over to the needy, providing upward of 11,000 free meals.

But to the regular customers of the Chapman Avenue establishment, it’s the authentic Mexican fare that comes out of Garcia’s kitchen. One of the most popular items is menudo, the fabled south-of-the-border hangover cure.

And unlike most restaurants that serve menudo, Garcia ladles it out daily (an average of 500 gallons a week, he says), not just on weekends.

“A lot of people work weekends, so what are they supposed to do for menudo if the ‘morning after’ happens to be Tuesday or Wednesday?” he asks.

Does it work on one of mankind’s oldest temporary ailments and, if so, how does it work? “I’m not really sure,” Garcia says. “It works, or people certainly think it does, and I’m told it has something to do with the gelatin from the beef feet that are used.”

But even people who don’t drink enjoy Garcia’s menudo. “We have people in here who have it for lunch and even dinner,” he says.

So he starts every working day chopping tripe and boiling water in a 50-gallon vat for the daily batch. Like his holiday giving, he’s done it for so long, it doesn’t take any recipe or prodding; both have become second nature.

The recipe he supplied to Chef du Jour can easily be proportionally scaled down (unless you plan to go into the business) for individual family needs, he said. He, however, didn’t have the time; he was off in his Santa Claus suit for some appearances at a local children’s hospital.

So, we offer his full recipe and our own abbreviated version.

FRANK GARCIA’S

MENUDO

20 gallons water

50 pounds beef feet

100 pounds of tripe

5 large whole onions

5 whole garlic bulbs

5 tablespoons salt

6 1-gallon cans hominy

2 gallons medium chili sauce

6 tablespoons California chili powder

4 bunches green onions

2 bunches fresh cilantro

Bring water to boil and add beef feet--skin and all. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add tripe after it’s been cut into one-inch squares. Add salt, onions and garlic--skin and all. Simmer for an additional two hours. Add hominy, chili sauce, chili powder and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Add green onion and cilantro and simmer 10 minutes more before serving.

ABBREVIATED

VERSION

2 gallons water

3 pounds beef feet

4 pounds tripe

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons salt

1 gallon hominy

2 cups chili sauce

2 teaspoons powdered chili

4 green onions

1/2 bunch cilantro

Follow same instructions as full version.