Scarlet Goat, Lamb or Deer Tongues

Wash and remove most of the fat from the tongues. Mix together all the spices and the garlic and rub well into the tongues. Dissolve the salt peter in the warm water and pour over the tongues. Place in a large, nonmetal container. Weight the meat down with a stone or brick and cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. (You can also place the ingredients in a plastic bag and weight it down.) Refrigerate for 10 days to 2 weeks. Turn the tongues every 2 to 3 days. At this point the tongues may be Frozen, or they can be hung and smoked, and the result frozen. Place the meat in a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and throw away the water. Repeat 3 times. Cover with cold again, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat, covered, for about 2 hours or until tender. Peel off the skin while still warm. The tongues may be cooled, slice thin, and place on a platter. Serve with mustard or horseradish. Recipe using Scarlet tongue 1 tongue per person, soaked overnight if necessary 1 oz butter 1 oz plain flour 3/4 pint milk 1 tbsp double cream 2-3 tbsp capers 1 tbsp vinegar from the capers salt and pepper Let the tongue soak in a large bowl of cold water for the appropriate length of time. Put it into a large casserole dish and cover with fresh cold water. Put the lid on the pan, bring it slowly to the boil and simmer for 2%BD-3%BD hours until the tongue can be very easily pierced with a skewer. It should feel very tender and soft. Remove it from the heat and let it sit in its hot stock while you make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, stir in the flour and when it foams start adding the milk slowly, a little at a time, stirring after each addition. When you have a smooth creamy sauce let it simmer gently for 10 minutes, then add the cream, capers and caper vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and keep hot. Remove the tongue from the liquid and skin it, do this with your fingers. Although this is hot work, this is the best method. You will find, if the tongue is cooked, that the skin peels off in satisfying strips. Slip out the bones underneath the tongue, slice it fairly thickly and lay the slices round and over a heated serving dish. Put a sprinkling of capers over the top and serve very hot with the caper sauce and mashed potatoes.