Basic Ox Tongue
| 1 Unsalted Ox Tongue |
| 1 Carrot (halved) |
| 1 Onion (halved) |
| ½ Leek (sliced) |
| 1 stick Celery (cut into cubes) |
| 1 Bouquet Garni |
| 1 clove of Garlic |
| 8-10 Black Peppercorns |
| 2 tbsp Coarse Sea Salt |
Place the Ox Tongue in a large, heavy sauce pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes and then drain. Using fresh water bring back to the boil. Once boiling, skim the surface scum as necessary and add the aromatic ingredients.
Cover and simmer gently for 4 hours. The tongue is ready when the skin starts to blister.
Remove from the heat and drain. Reserve 275ml of cooking liquor if required for making a hot sauce to accompany the tongue.
To serve hot:
Once the tongue has been removed from the heat, drain and place on a board. Remove the skin and discard. Trim the root if necessary and cut into 3mm slices. Serve on a large plate with a homemade hot or cold sauce e.g. horseradish. Pour a little of the sauce over and serve the rest separately.
To serve cold:
Place the cooked tongue on a board and retain the cooking liquor.
Remove the skin and discard. Trim and neaten the root area if necessary. Return to the cooking liquor and leave to cool. When cool remove from cooking liquor. Roll and curl the tongue to fit into a 20cm (6”) cake tin or soufflé dish; it should be a tight fit.
Boil the reserved cooking liquor. In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 level tsp powdered gelatin into a little cold water and melt over simmering water until completely clear. Strain the melted gelatin into the liquor, stir well and add 2 tbsp port. Pour over the tongue; it should be just level with the top of the tongue. Cover the tongue with a plate, stand a heavy weight on top. Leave in a refrigerator overnight Run a knife around the edge to free the tongue until set. Run a knife around the edge to free the tongue. Transfer to a serving plate and carve horizontally into thin slices.
