274. LAMB TONGUES on TOAST with BACON and TOMATOES

serves 4


4 lamb tongues
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, diced small
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 small bunch parsley, leaves roughly chopped and stems reserved
4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons dried thyme)
2 whole cloves

For the sauce:
½ lb. slab bacon, diced large
¼ cup minced shallots
4 plum tomatoes, cored and diced medium
2 tablespoons sherry
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

4 large slices country bread, toasted and lightly buttered

Scrub the tongues with a vegetable brush under cold running water. Let them soak in cold water for 2 hours, then place them in a Dutch oven and add the salt and cold water to cover. Bring the water to a simmer, skimming the foam that rises to the surface. Add the onion, carrots, celery, lemon juice, parsley stems, thyme, and cloves and simmer, partially covered, until the tongues are tender, about 2 hours.

Drain the tongues and place them in a bowl of cold water to cool. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, peel them: Cut a slit down the back of each tongue from the base to the tip with a small paring knife. Run your fingers under the skin and separate it from the meat. Slice the meat crosswise into medallions, or lengthwise in half. Place on a platter, cover with foil, and place in the oven set on the lowest setting to keep warm while you make the sauce.

In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the platter of tongue, leaving 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the sauté pan, and return the platter to the oven. Add the shallots to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes more. Pour in the sherry and bring just to a simmer, then stir in the butter, a little at a time, until all of it is incorporated.

Add the tongue and bacon to the sauce and turn a few times to coat well. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the chopped parsley, and serve on the buttered toast.


courtesy of: How to Cook Meat, by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby. New York: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2000. pp. 317-318