"YECCH, GRANDPA! THAT'S DIS-GUSTING!" IF YOU SHARE CHARLIE'S SENTIMENTS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS ONE. BUT YOU'D BE MISSING A TREAT, BECAUSE TONGUE AND BEEF TONGUE IN PARTICULAR HAS A RICH, BEEFY FLAVOR AND A TENDER TEXTURE. IT'S GOOD HOT, IN THIS CASE BRAISED OR COLD, IN SANDWICHES, OR SERVED ROOM TEMPERATURE WITH SAUCE GRIBICHE. IT IS, HOWEVER, SOLID MUSCLE AND REQUIRES SEVERAL HOURS OF POACHING BEFORE IT IS TENDER ENOUGH TO COOK. THIS RECIPE IS THE SAME ONE I USE FOR OSSO BUCO, ANOTHER TOUGH BUT DELICIOUS CUT. THIS TIME I SERVED THE TONGUE WITH ROOT VEGETABLES, BUT IT WOULD GO EQUALLY WELL WITH SAFRON RISOTTO OR A SHORT PASTA. MAKE SURE TO PREPARE IT A DAY AHEAD. THAT WAY YOU CAN EASILY REMOVE THE FAT BEFORE REHEATING AND AS WITH ANY BRAISED MEAT, IT TASTES EVEN BETTER THE NEXT DAY.
PLACE THE TONGUE IN A LARGE POT AND COVER WITH WATER. PEEL ONE ONION AND INSERT TWO CLOVES INTO THE SKIN. ADD TO THE POT. ADD 1 TBSP OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS AND 2 BAY LEAVES. BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE TO A SIMMER. SALT.
SIMMER, PARTIALLY COVERED FOR 2 TO 3 HOURS OR UNTIL THE TONGUE IS EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK BUT IS STILL A BIT FIRM. IF NECESSARY, TOP UP WITH MORE WATER DURING THE COOKING.
REMOVE TO A PLATE. ALLOW TO COOL. PEEL OFF THE TOUGH OUTER SKIN.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º.
PEEL AND DICE THE OTHER ONION, CARROTS, AND CELERY.
MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A DUTCH OVEN WITH A SPLASH OF OIL. ADD THE DICED VEGETABLES, COVER AND SWEAT FOR A FEW MINUTES ON LOW HEAT. AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE, PEEL AND ROUGHLY CHOP GARLIC CLOVES AND ADD TO THE POT.
WHEN THE VEGETABLES ARE TRANSLUCENT, LAY THE TONGUE ON TOP. POUR IN A CUP OF WINE (A LIGHT-BODIED RED OR WHITE).
CRUSH THE TOMATOES WITH YOUR HAND AND ADD TO THE POT. POUR IN ENOUGH STOCK TO COVER THE TONGUE. BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE TO A SIMMER.
MAKE A BOUQUET GARNIE WITH 8 PARSLEY STEMS, 4 LARGE SPRIGS OF THYME AND 2 BAY LEAVES TIED TOGETHER WITH KITCHEN TWINE. STICK IN THE POT.
PEEL THE ZEST FROM HALF THE ORANGE, JUILIENNE AND ADD TO THE POT.
PLACE POT IN THE OVEN WITH THE LID AJAR. COOK FOR 30 MINUTES. TURN THE TONGUE OVER AND COOK ANOTHER 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE TONGUE IS VERY TENDER, EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP FORK. DISCARD BOUQUET GARNIE.
ALLOW TO COOL, THEN PLACE IN THE FRIDGE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, SKIM OFF THE FAT BEFORE RE-HEATING. PLACE THE TONGUE ON A PLATE. BRING LIQUID TO A BOIL AND REDUCE BY ABOUT A 1/3.
REDUCE HEAT. RETURN THE TONGUE TO THE POT AND SIMMER TILL WARM AGAIN.
SERVE IN THE POT WITH THE VEGETABLES OR PLACE ON A PLATTER AND SLICE BEFORE SERVING.
GARNISH WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY AND SERVE WITH HORSERADISH/MUSTARD SAUCE ON THE SIDE. SERVES 6-8
PUT A GENEROUS PINCH OF SALT AND SEVERAL GRINDINGS OF PEPPER IN A MEDIUM BOWL.
ADD THE JUICE OF ONE LEMON.
PEEL THE HORSERADISH ROOT AND GRATE ONTO A PIECE OF WAXED PAPER. USE THE NEXT TO SMALLEST HOLES ON THE GRATER OR A MICROPLANE. FOLD INTO THE BOWL.
ADD 2 TBSPS OF GRAINY MUSTARD.
ADD ABOUT CUP OF CRÉME FRAÎCHE. MIXED THOROUGHLY. TASTE FOR SEASONING. IF YOU WANT IT HOTTER, GRATE IN MORE HORSERADISH. IF IT'S TOO HOT, ADD MORE CRÉME FRAÎCHE.
SHOULD BE SERVED SLIGHTLY CHILLED.
Ingredients
Directions
PLACE THE TONGUE IN A LARGE POT AND COVER WITH WATER. PEEL ONE ONION AND INSERT TWO CLOVES INTO THE SKIN. ADD TO THE POT. ADD 1 TBSP OF BLACK PEPPERCORNS AND 2 BAY LEAVES. BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE TO A SIMMER. SALT.
SIMMER, PARTIALLY COVERED FOR 2 TO 3 HOURS OR UNTIL THE TONGUE IS EASILY PIERCED WITH A FORK BUT IS STILL A BIT FIRM. IF NECESSARY, TOP UP WITH MORE WATER DURING THE COOKING.
REMOVE TO A PLATE. ALLOW TO COOL. PEEL OFF THE TOUGH OUTER SKIN.
PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º.
PEEL AND DICE THE OTHER ONION, CARROTS, AND CELERY.
MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN A DUTCH OVEN WITH A SPLASH OF OIL. ADD THE DICED VEGETABLES, COVER AND SWEAT FOR A FEW MINUTES ON LOW HEAT. AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE, PEEL AND ROUGHLY CHOP GARLIC CLOVES AND ADD TO THE POT.
WHEN THE VEGETABLES ARE TRANSLUCENT, LAY THE TONGUE ON TOP. POUR IN A CUP OF WINE (A LIGHT-BODIED RED OR WHITE).
CRUSH THE TOMATOES WITH YOUR HAND AND ADD TO THE POT. POUR IN ENOUGH STOCK TO COVER THE TONGUE. BRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE TO A SIMMER.
MAKE A BOUQUET GARNIE WITH 8 PARSLEY STEMS, 4 LARGE SPRIGS OF THYME AND 2 BAY LEAVES TIED TOGETHER WITH KITCHEN TWINE. STICK IN THE POT.
PEEL THE ZEST FROM HALF THE ORANGE, JUILIENNE AND ADD TO THE POT.
PLACE POT IN THE OVEN WITH THE LID AJAR. COOK FOR 30 MINUTES. TURN THE TONGUE OVER AND COOK ANOTHER 30 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE TONGUE IS VERY TENDER, EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP FORK. DISCARD BOUQUET GARNIE.
ALLOW TO COOL, THEN PLACE IN THE FRIDGE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, SKIM OFF THE FAT BEFORE RE-HEATING. PLACE THE TONGUE ON A PLATE. BRING LIQUID TO A BOIL AND REDUCE BY ABOUT A 1/3.
REDUCE HEAT. RETURN THE TONGUE TO THE POT AND SIMMER TILL WARM AGAIN.
SERVE IN THE POT WITH THE VEGETABLES OR PLACE ON A PLATTER AND SLICE BEFORE SERVING.
GARNISH WITH CHOPPED PARSLEY AND SERVE WITH HORSERADISH/MUSTARD SAUCE ON THE SIDE. SERVES 6-8
PUT A GENEROUS PINCH OF SALT AND SEVERAL GRINDINGS OF PEPPER IN A MEDIUM BOWL.
ADD THE JUICE OF ONE LEMON.
PEEL THE HORSERADISH ROOT AND GRATE ONTO A PIECE OF WAXED PAPER. USE THE NEXT TO SMALLEST HOLES ON THE GRATER OR A MICROPLANE. FOLD INTO THE BOWL.
ADD 2 TBSPS OF GRAINY MUSTARD.
ADD ABOUT CUP OF CRÉME FRAÎCHE. MIXED THOROUGHLY. TASTE FOR SEASONING. IF YOU WANT IT HOTTER, GRATE IN MORE HORSERADISH. IF IT'S TOO HOT, ADD MORE CRÉME FRAÎCHE.
SHOULD BE SERVED SLIGHTLY CHILLED.
Notes
