Slices of tender, lean, beef tongue marinated in a garlic, onion and pepper vinaigrette. This dish is delicious to serve as an appetizer by itself, as part of a charcuterie or as a topping for a green salad.
Perhaps this was because Dan was raised in a strict Jewish home where certain foods were forbidden. The only food rule in the house where I was raised was that you at least had to try foods you were not familiar with before saying that you didn't like them.
For me, this rule was only applied once, when it came to liver. I did have to try it before I admitted that the taste was okay but the texture bothered me. After I tried it that one time, my Mom was happy to let me eat the bacon that she rendered to use the drippings for frying the liver and onions while the rest of the family dug into that liver like there was no tomorrow.
Something that Dan and I have in common is our Eastern European heritage. My maternal grandmother was from Czechoslovakia. This meant that a lot of the foods that Dan had grown up eating were also part of my childhood food memories. One of the foods both Dan and I grew up enjoying was beef tongue.
I get beef tongue once a year when I pick up my 1/2 cow that I order from my friend Vicki to fill my freezer. My mom used to always make soup with her beef tongue or we would eat it slathered with Miracle Whip on sandwiches. It is also a common taco ingredient in Mexico where they call it Lengua. It makes a wonderful stew as well.
Being all muscle, beef tongue needs a slow braise. I often just put it in the slow cooker with bay leaf, onion and carrots and let it cook all day. Once it is fork tender, you need to remove any hard muscle around the edges and at the base, before peeling the skin to reveal the scrumptious, lean, meat inside. Strain the stock and use it for soup or stew as you would any other beef broth.
I had never heard of Dan Ahdoot and never would have picked up this book had it not been assigned for Cook the Books. Evidently he is a comic and actor as well as an author. I understand he was in Cobra Kai. I binged on Cobra Kai a few years ago but I can't place Ahdoot at all. The memoir is entertaining and did make me laugh out loud a couple of times.
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Beef Tongue Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 beef tongue
- 2 onions, divided
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 carrot, cut into chunks
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 7 cloves garlic, minced and divided
- 3 small leeks, white and light green parts, cut into chunks
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 c. olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the tongue and remove any visible fat and nodules. Place into a slow cooker.
- Add 1 of the onions, cut into chunks, the carrot, bay leaf, salt, pepper, half of the garlic and leeks. Pour in water to cover and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 hours.
- Remove the tongue to a cutting board and allow to cool. Discard the cooking liquid and vegetables.
- When cool enough to handle, cut any hard parts from the base of the tongue. Starting at the largest part and going towards the tip of the tongue, peel off the skin and discard.
- Cut the tongue into thin slices and store, covered,in the refrigerator until you make the vinaigrette.
- Place the onion and bell peppers into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Remove to a deep bowl and add the garlic, cider, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
- Before serving, layer the beef slices onto a plate or platter. Spoon the vinaigrette over it, cover and refrigerate for several hours and up to 24 hours to allow the meat to absorb some of the vinaigrette
Nutrition Facts
Calories
168.09Fat (grams)
13.76 gSat. Fat (grams)
1.91 gCarbs (grams)
10.65 gFiber (grams)
1.9 gNet carbs
8.74 gSugar (grams)
3.9 gProtein (grams)
1.34 gSodium (milligrams)
39.85 mgCholesterol (grams)
0.09 mg
Thank you for clueing me in that we had a new Cook the Books selection. Oye. My boys come home and my whole schedule and brain go out the window. Just ordered it. Looking forward to reading and, maybe, trying your tongue recipe. I have a beef heart in my freezer though. No tongue.
ReplyDeleteI am anxious to see how you prepare your heart. I have never made it.
DeleteI haven't done the heart yet, but I will likely make it the way Dan does: quick sear served with chimichurri. Stay tuned!
DeleteI will be waiting with anticipation.....
DeleteI've only fixed tongue once, and knowing my husband, just said it was beef. Forget now how I cooked it, but remember we both liked it fine. No one around here usually carries tongue, but if I find any your recipe sounds like a winner!
DeleteThis was a great preparation.
DeleteLooks good but I'm sorry to say I just can't get beyond the "tongue" part. Will enjoy from afar....
ReplyDeleteThat last comment was from Cathy B -- the site wouldn't let me ID myself
DeleteYes, I find that when I serve tongue I am best off not saying anything other than beef.
DeleteMy mother also applied the rule about trying a food item at least once and beef liver definitely didn't get past that single tasting (chicken liver is a different story, since we all liked chicken liver pate'). My mother didn't cook tongue so I was never asked to taste it. Thank you for all the information about how to prepare and cook tongue and how it's used. Very interesting recipe :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Simona, if you ever do get an opportunity, give tongue a try. It is very tender, delicious meat.
Delete