Braised Tongue with Tomato Sauce
Beef tongue is a traditional meat in many cultures and is something of an acquired taste. As a fatty piece of meat, beef tongue is full of flavor and adapts well to accompanying flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 tongue, 4 to 5 pounds
- 1 onion stuck with 2 cloves
- 1-1/2 teaspoons basil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- Chopped parsley
- 1 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 24 soft black olives, pitted
Instructions
- Cover the tongue with cold water and add the onion stuck with cloves, basil, garlic and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes.
- Remove any scum that rises to the top. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer approximately 45 minutes per poound.
- While the tongue is cooking, saute the chopped onion and chopped garlic in the oil and butter in a large skillet or braising pan, and when just colored, add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil.
- Add the tomato paste and the olives, and simmer 20 minutes.
- When the tongue is cooked, remove from the broth. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin. Loosen it with a very sharp knife and pull it off with your fingers or a fork. Trim the root.
- Place the tongue in the tomato sauce and turn it several times. Add 1 cup of broth from the tongue. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, turning the tongue once during that time.
- Arrange on a platter with the sauce poured around it and garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with steamed rice and a puree of spinach.