This is an old Piemontese recipe that will work equally well with pig or beef tongue, though you will need two of the former. In Piemonte it's generally served instead of the first course, though you may decided to serve it with a salad as a light lunch, together with a bottle of Dolcetto. To serve 4:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- A beef tongue weighing about 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) or several pig's tongues
- 2 onions, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- A stick of celery, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickled capers, rinsed and chopped
- A small red pepper, ribbed seeded and chopped (or a pinch of hot pepper flakes)
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- A cup of broth (unsalted bouillon will work)
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Soak the tongue in cold water for an hour. Bring the pot to a boil, simmer it for 15 minutes, drain the tongue, and when it is cool enough to handle skin it.
Return it to a second pot of water, together with half the chopped vegetables. Lightly salt the water, bring the pot to a boil, and simmer the tongue for 2 1/2 hours.
While the meat is simmering, rechop the remaining vegetables finely. And when it is almost done, sauté them for a few minutes in the oil, in a casserole. When the onion begins to color, add the capers and parsley, and hot pepper, followed by the tomato paste diluted in a little hot water. Check seasoning.
Mix several tablespoons of broth into the flour and stir it into the vegetable mixture; reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, adding a little more broth if need be. When the time is up mix in the vinegar.
Drain the tongue, slice it crosswise, and arrange the slices on a platter. Spoon the sauce over them and serve at once.
Return it to a second pot of water, together with half the chopped vegetables. Lightly salt the water, bring the pot to a boil, and simmer the tongue for 2 1/2 hours.
While the meat is simmering, rechop the remaining vegetables finely. And when it is almost done, sauté them for a few minutes in the oil, in a casserole. When the onion begins to color, add the capers and parsley, and hot pepper, followed by the tomato paste diluted in a little hot water. Check seasoning.
Mix several tablespoons of broth into the flour and stir it into the vegetable mixture; reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, adding a little more broth if need be. When the time is up mix in the vinegar.
Drain the tongue, slice it crosswise, and arrange the slices on a platter. Spoon the sauce over them and serve at once.
