Stuffed Lamb Intestines in Tomato Sauce (Gardoubes)

Ingredients

• 1 lamb pluck (liver, lungs, heart, and trachea) with its intestines
• 8-10 leaves of romaine lettuce, cut into large pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• Dill
• Salt
• Pepper
• Sweet paprika
• 3-4 ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• Olive oil

Preparation

Preparing the Intestines

1. Use a pen to hold one end of the intestine and begin gathering it onto the pen.
2. Once you have enough intestine gathered, cut, pull, and remove it from the pen so that it’s turned inside out and ready to wash.
3. Repeat this process for all intestines, placing them in a bowl, washing with cold water, and draining.
4. Add vinegar to the bowl and mix with your hands, ensuring the vinegar coats the intestines, helping remove any mucus.
5. Finally, place the intestines in a strainer, rinse with cold water to remove all vinegar, and leave to drain.

Preparing the Pluck (Organ Meat)

1. Place the lamb pluck in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Cut the liver and lungs into small sticks. Take one piece of liver and one piece of lung, and wrap them with an intestine, as shown in the photo (if available).

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat, add the chopped onion and green onions, and sauté until softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and sauté for another 2 minutes.
3. Add the lettuce, salt, pepper, paprika, dill, and the prepared stuffed intestines (gardoubes).
4. Pour enough water to cover all the ingredients. Simmer on medium heat for approximately 45-50 minutes.
5. If the sauce needs more liquid, add hot water as necessary.

Gardoubes: A Traditional Greek Offal Dish

Gardoubes is a classic Greek dish that showcases the country’s resourceful culinary tradition, using lamb offal and intestines to create a unique and flavorful dish. Traditionally prepared in rural areas during Easter or special occasions, gardoubes is a comforting and hearty dish that reflects Greek cuisine’s nose-to-tail cooking philosophy.

To make gardoubes, lamb intestines are carefully cleaned, turned inside out, and soaked in vinegar to ensure thorough cleanliness. These intestines are then wrapped around small cuts of lamb liver and lungs, forming a tightly coiled bundle. Once wrapped, the gardoubes are seared in olive oil with onions and tomatoes, then simmered with fresh herbs, lettuce, and seasoning in a fragrant tomato-based sauce until tender and flavorful.

The result is a richly savory dish with tender meat and a sauce that perfectly complements its hearty ingredients. Gardoubes is typically enjoyed as a main course, celebrating both the rustic flavors of Greek cuisine and the traditional practice of using every part of the animal. This dish is a great way to experience authentic Greek flavors and cultural culinary practices.

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