Poached tongue with salsa verde

Published On Tue Sep 20 2011
A properly poached and sliced beef tongue can be a beautiful
thing, as Jennifer McLagan discovers in Odd Bits:  How to Cook
the Rest of the Animal.
LEIGH BEISCH PHOTO

Toronto cookbook author Jennifer McLagan loves how the
"soft, dense meat of the cooked tongue" contrasts with the
piquant salsa verde.  If you want this to be a main course, serve it
with McLagan's potato and radish salad.  You'll find that recipe in
Odd Bits:  How to Cook the Rest of the Animal, as well as a recipe
for brining the tongue for extra juiciness.  If you prefer wam tongue,
cut the poached tongue in thick slices and pan fry briefly until browned.

 Poached Tongue:
1 beef tongue (about 2-1/2 to 3 lb/1.4 to 1.8 kg)
2 whole cloves
1 small yellow onion, quartered
1 carrot, peeled, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 each: black peppercorns, allspice berries
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 clove garlic
1 large sprig thyme
1 fresh bay leaf

Salsa Verde:
1 cup (250 mL) arugula leaves, coarse stems removed
1 cup (250 mL) flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tbsp (15 mL) rinsed capers
3 cornichons, rinsed
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed
1-1/2 tbsp (22 mL) chopped shallot
1 clove garlic
2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt + freshly ground black pepper

Garnish:
4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, halved
For tongue, place tongue in large saucepan.

Insert clovesin 2 onion quarters; add to pan along with remaining onions,
carrot and celery. Add enough cold water to cover tongue by 2 inches
(5 cm). Place pan over medium heat. Bring slowly to boil; skim any
scum from cooking liquid. Add peppercorns, allspice, parsley, garlic,
thyme and bay leaf.  Lower heat. Simmer, partially covered, until tongue
is very tender, 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 hours depending on size of tongue. To
test, pierce tongue with skewer at thickest part and tip; it should be
quite tender in both places.

Set out bowl of ice water to dip your fingers into or put on rubber gloves.

Transfer tongue to plate. It must be peeled while hot. Start at back
(throat end) of tongue. Use small knife to lift up first piece of skin.
Using fingers, peel skin off as though you were taking a glove
off the tongue.  Be careful when you reach tip of the tongue that you
don’t tear it off. Discard skin. Scrape off any bumpy impressions
at back of tongue. Trim fat and gristle from base and underside of
tongue. If there are any throat bones, discard them. (A good butcher
will have trimmed them.)

If serving immediately, let cool slightly. If not, strain poaching liquid,
discarding solids. Return peeled tongue to cooking liquid. Leave to
cool. Refrigerate up to 4 days.

Meanwhile, for salsa verde, place arugula, parsley, capers, cornichons,
anchovies, shallot, garlic and lemon juice in food processor. Pulse until
coarsely chopped. Add oil; pulse to blend. Transfer to bowl. Season
with salt and pepper. Cover by pressing plastic wrap directly onto
surface of sauce to keep it green. Refrigerate up to 1 day.

To serve, remove tongue from poaching liquid. Thinly slice tongue.
Place slices overlapping on platter. Bring to room temperature
1 hour before serving. Arrange eggs around tongue. Spoon salsa
verde over tongue.

M akes 4 main or 6 appetizer portions.

Star-tested by Jennifer Bain
jbain@thestar.ca