i find it amusing (and sometimes a little irritating) when the cheftestants on cooking “reality” shows are presented with a challenge involving a microwave. They usually act like they (a) have never seen one; (b) wouldn’t be caught dead using one; and (c) believe that the only legitimate use for a microwave (and that’s only for non-foodie types) is making popcorn or heating water for tea.
I’m not that siditty (look it up) and, as busy as most people are nowadays, i consider things like microwaves and crockpots and countertop roasters and pressure cookers to be labor-saving devices that help ordinary people (like me) continue to cook real food at home. don’t get me wrong -- i’m not going to advocate that you turn some shrimp into rubber by nuking them. But in this and future posts, i will unapologetically suggest when one of the aforementioned appliances might be used. (Well, except for the countertop roaster because i don’t have one of those.)
Now, about “The Bits.”
I was fortunate to grow up during a time when poor people still mostly cooked everything from scratch. I learned from my parents and their friends and, as i grew older, anyone who would let me hang out in their kitchen. we grew up eating whatever was cheap, which was mostly the parts of the animals that that were left over after non-broke people bought what they could afford.
Pork Tongues
Taquitos de lengua have been around for a long time before they were “discovered” by food truck aficionados. And the tongue in those taquitos has traditionally been pork. Pork tongues are small and very tender and you can find them in Asian or Mexican markets, if your local chain supermarket doesn’t carry them. They also are cheaper and faster to cook than beef tongue, but they don’t taste as strong so they need to be cooked with methods that will preserve and supplement the mild flavor. One method is to start by putting them in cold water, bringing it to the boil, and then simmering for 25 minutes. Then i chill the tongues, cut them into strips, and briefly saute the strips of meat with aromatic vegetables (onions, garlic, peppers, carrots, seasonings, etc.). Then you can eat the lengua with rice or tortillas, or stuff it into a baguette and make banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches, very popular with all kinds of people in Seattle).
The stove-top recipe produces a chewy texture in the strips of tongue. if you don’t mind a softer end product, you can try my slow-cooker version. put the tongues (they usually come two-three in a package) in the crockpot. Season with salt, black and red pepper, garlic, and some paprika. add one tablespoon of water. cook on low heat for about six hours, then chill overnight. i scrape off any congealed fat, and i save the defatted broth to use in soup. i like to slice the tongues and eat the slices cold with dijon mustard. my oldest daughter warms a few slices in the microwave and eats them with rice. hot or cold, they make a nice sandwich, too.
Tongue of Cow
once you have dipped your toes into the water and tried the pork tongues, you’re ready to jump into the deep end and try some cow tongue. When i was a kid, beef tongue was cheap. it’s not anymore, but it’s still wonderful and once in a while i will spring for one, just because it’s so delicious. Remember, there isn’t very much fat on a cow tongue and there aren’t any bones, so you aren’t really paying for much that you aren’t going to eat. BTW, my youngest daughter says she prefers pork tongue to beef, because she doesn’t like seeing any taste buds.
take the cow tongue out of the package and rinse it. put it in a big pot and cover with cold water. add aromatic vegetables if you like -- carrot, onion, celery and garlic are all good. You can go with warm seasonings like turmeric or cardamom, too. make sure you put at least a teaspoon of salt into the water. i usually add black and red pepper.
now bring the whole thing to a boil and then immediately turn it down. simmer for at least two-and-a-half hours (sometimes three). if you stick a knife into the thickest part, the knife should go in easily and the liquid should come out clear (not bloody). turn off the pot and let the whole thing sit for 30 minutes.
now comes the only tricky part. fill a another pot or a big bowl with ice water and use a LOT of ice. use some tongs or a big fork and take the tongue out of the cooking broth and put it straight into the ice water. as soon as it feels cool enough to handle, peel off the white, leathery skin that covers most of the tongue. if it feels too hot, put it back into the ice water for a few more minutes. the skin has the consistency of leather, but dogs love it (or just put it in the compost). it’s best if you let the tongue cool completely (but don’t put it back in the water). at this point i usually refrigerate it overnight.
and now the fun begins. you can slice it for sandwiches or cut it up into sticks or cubes and warm it in a saute pan with onions and seasonings. you can put it into gravy and serve it over rice or with steamed potatoes. i know there is a famous Russian salad that is cold tongue with onions and sour cream, but i haven’t tried to make it yet. you could chop it into bits and make pasties.
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