Lots of people these days seem to be nostalgic for the ox tongue of their childhood, but few attempt to cook it. A whole ox tongue does look rather terrifying, admittedly, but we think it’s worth the effort. Brining the tongue before you cook it gives the meat great flavour, but does turn it into almost a week-long project. You have been warned. Tongue and Roast Beetroot Salad with a Balsamic Dress – Printer Friendly Download
Ingredients:
- 1 ox tongue
For the brine:
- 100 g sea salt
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 3 fresh bay leaves
- 3/4 teaspoon curing salt (this is for colour rather than flavour and can be omitted)
To cook the tongue:
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stick celery, chopped
- handful of parsley stalks
- 6 black peppercorns
- flaky sea salt
- 3 eggs
- 100 g plain flour
- 250 g panko breadcrumbs
- 1 litre vegetable oil
- for the salad:
- 8 medium beetroots roasted (see page 115)
- 300 g mixed leaves
- extra virgin olive oil
- aged balsamic vinegar
To Cook:
In a large saucepan, combine the salt, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaves in a litre of water. Bring to the boil and stir until the salt has dissolved. Remove from the heat and add 2 litres of cold water. Leave to cool. Place the tongue in a large bowl and cover with the brine. Place in the fridge, covered, for five days, turning once. Remove the tongue from the brine, rinse well, put in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and discard the water. Cover with fresh water and bring to the boil again, and add the carrot, onion, celery and parsley stalks, peppercorns and a large pinch of flaky sea salt. Simmer gently until tender but not falling apart, about 4 to 5 hours. Remove the tongue from the cooking liquid but retain the liquid. When the tongue is cool enough to handle, strip it of its skin and any unsavoury-looking bits. Return the tongue to the cooking liquid to cool. When it has reached room temperature, place it in a bowl in the fridge, with a weight on top of it to press it down, for 24 hours. Prepare the roasted beetroots. Whisk the eggs and place in a shallow bowl. Prepare separate bowls for the flour and breadcrumbs. Slice the tongue into slices about 1/2 cm thick. Heat the vegetable oil to 190 C in a deep fat fryer. Dip the slices of tongue first into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and hot through. Drain on kitchen paper. Dress the leaves and roasted beetroots with olive oil and a little flaky sea salt and divide between six plates. Place the slices of fried tongue on each plate and top with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.
Tags: Beef Recipes, James Whelan Butchers, Ox Tongue and Roast Beetroot Salad with a Balsamic Dressing, Pat Whelan
