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Zarajos de Cuenca
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Zarajos de Cuenca are lamb intestines wrapped around a sarmiento, a vine shoot, then fried until the outside goes crisp and the centre stays tender. Dry them well before the oil.
Appetizers & Snacks
Spanish
Comfort Food
Outdoor Dining
Budget Friendly
45 min
Active Time
35 min cook•1 hr 20 min total
Yield4 servings
Zarajos de Cuenca belong to Castilla-La Mancha, and more tightly to Cuenca: cleaned lamb intestines wound around a sarmiento, a dry vine shoot, then cooked until crisp outside and tender within. This is not a polite little bite dressed up for visitors. It is shepherd's food, market food, and it tastes of lamb, garlic, parsley, olive oil, and the clean smoke of vine wood when you can get it.
The method that decides it is drying. The intestines must be cleaned, blanched, wrapped tight, then dried very well before they touch the hot oil. Wet zarajos spit, steam, and go rubbery. Dry zarajos brown, tighten, and crisp at the edges, which is the whole pleasure of them.
If you are far from Cuenca, ask a good butcher for cleaned lamb small intestines, preferably from young lamb, and do not be shy about saying you need them ready for cooking. No sarmiento where you are? Use an untreated wooden skewer soaked in water; you lose the faint vine scent, but the shape and cooking stay right. If you can only find prepared zarajos from a Spanish butcher, even better. Pésalo, no lo adivines, and dry them properly. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.
Zarajos are tied to Cuenca and the lamb country of Castilla-La Mancha, where nothing useful from the animal was wasted and offal cookery belonged naturally to the home and the market. The vine shoot, or sarmiento, came from the same landscape of vineyards and shepherding, serving as both spindle and seasoning when the coils were cooked over coals. They are close in spirit to gallinejas and entresijos of Madrid, but Cuenca's zarajo is recognized by its tight coil around the sarmiento.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
cleaned lamb small intestines
Quantity
800g
rinsed and drained
untreated dry vine shoots, about 18cm long
Quantity
2
or soaked wooden skewers
water
Quantity
1 liter
for blanching
bay leaf
Quantity
1
fine sea salt
Quantity
6g, plus more to finish
garlic cloves
Quantity
3
minced
flat-leaf parsley
Quantity
15g
finely chopped
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
60ml
for the marinade
lemon juice
Quantity
1 tablespoon
olive oil
Quantity
500ml
for frying
lemon
Quantity
1
cut into wedges
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| cleaned lamb small intestinesrinsed and drained | 800g |
| untreated dry vine shoots, about 18cm longor soaked wooden skewers | 2 |
| waterfor blanching | 1 liter |
| bay leaf | 1 |
| fine sea salt | 6g, plus more to finish |
| garlic clovesminced | 3 |
| flat-leaf parsleyfinely chopped | 15g |
| extra virgin olive oilfor the marinade | 60ml |
| lemon juice | 1 tablespoon |
| olive oilfor frying | 500ml |
| lemoncut into wedges | 1 |
Equipment Needed
- •Deep frying pan or heavy skillet
- •Kitchen thermometer
- •Wire rack
- •Untreated vine shoots or wooden skewers
Instructions
- 1
Rinse and blanch
Rinse the cleaned lamb intestines under cold running water until the water runs clear. Bring 1 liter water to a boil with the bay leaf and 6g salt, add the intestines, and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse again, and pat them very dry. This first cook firms them enough to wrap without tearing.
- 2
Wrap the zarajos
Lay a vine shoot or soaked wooden skewer on the board. Wind the intestine around it in a tight, even coil, overlapping slightly so it holds together but does not become a thick lump. Make 4 smaller coils or 2 larger ones. Tuck the ends under the last turn. Tight wrapping gives you a zarajo, not just fried tripe in a pile.
Use only untreated vine shoots. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them for 30 minutes first so they do not scorch too quickly. - 3
Marinate briefly
Mix the minced garlic, parsley, 60ml extra virgin olive oil, and lemon juice. Rub this over the coils, cover, and leave them for 20 minutes at room temperature. Do not drown them in marinade. They should be seasoned, not wet.
- 4
Dry before frying
Lift the zarajos from the marinade and pat every surface dry with kitchen paper. Leave them uncovered on a rack for 10 minutes while the frying oil heats. This is the step that decides the dish: dry coils crisp in the oil, wet ones boil and turn tough.
- 5
Fry until crisp
Heat 500ml olive oil in a deep frying pan to 180C. Fry the zarajos in batches for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden, crisp at the ridges, and cooked through. If your coils are large, give them another minute over slightly lower heat so the centre finishes without burning the outside.
- 6
Salt and serve
Drain on a rack, not a flat plate, so the underside stays crisp. Sprinkle with a little fine salt while hot, then slice across the coils into thick rounds if you made large zarajos. Serve at once with lemon wedges. The lemon is for brightness, not for hiding poor cleaning. Buy well and cook clean.
Chef Tips
- •Buy the intestines cleaned from a butcher you trust. This is not the place for guessing. If they smell sour or strong after rinsing, do not cook them.
- •Prepared zarajos from a Spanish butcher are the easiest good route far from Cuenca. Pat them dry and fry them as written; shorten the blanching step only if they are already cooked.
- •No sarmiento where you are? Use an untreated wooden skewer. You lose the light vine-wood scent, but the coil cooks correctly. Do not use painted skewers or florist sticks.
- •Serve them straight from the pan. Zarajos wait badly; as they cool, the crisp ridges soften and the lamb fat firms.
Advance Preparation
- •The intestines can be rinsed, blanched, wrapped, and marinated up to 6 hours ahead. Keep them covered in the refrigerator, then pat them dry and let them stand 20 minutes before frying.
- •Do not fry them ahead for serving later. Reheated zarajos lose the crisp edge that makes the dish worth making.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 170g)
Calories
450 calories
Total Fat
35 g
Saturated Fat
9 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
25 g
Cholesterol
420 mg
Sodium
850 mg
Total Carbohydrates
2 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
32 g
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