This was first published in The Chautauqua.
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On The Tip
of the Tongue
Most of what
I have written about have been our adventures on the farm and growing
food. However the bigger adventures often happen in the kitchen and
on the table.
Health and
sustainability are important values for me and that related to what I
eat and how I eat it so that has meant eating more organ meats and
'odd bits' from the animals we raise and butcher. When we had our
beef done I bravely brought home the tongue and other parts that are
often left behind. I figured I would get to cooking them on days
when I had time to prep – emotionally and mentally as well as the
right ingredients.
I've tried
cow's tongue before. On our honeymoon in Costa Rica we found a
little restaurant with home-style cooking that we visited a couple
times. When I saw cow's tongue on their menu, I thought of the one
sitting in my freezer and knew I had to order it. When it came to
the table, I was delivered a great smelling plate with a few slices
of meat covered in a tomato, pepper and onion sauce – they did not
just lay out the tongue on a bed of lettuce. Only if you looked
close enough could you get a sense, from the texture of the skin, of
where the meat came from. I ate it and enjoyed it and thought it
didn't look too complicated to prepare.
But I still
hadn't cooked our own tongue up until this week. It's sat in the
freezer while I waited for the right time. Finally, I just decided
to do it. I thawed it, boiled it with herbs and spices, and sliced
it up like a roast – served with horseradish. Indeed, roast beef
is probably what you can pass it off for to the squeamish or
uncertain. We both had to pause a few times and found not looking at
it made it easier. It made an enjoyable meal as we laughed at our
own reactions and how it wasn't taste or texture but purely mental
notes that made us hesitate. Now that I've done it once, it's not
likely to take much to get me to cook the next one. It's certainly
easier for me to handle than liver! Who knows – when I am fighting
the winter blues, maybe cooking up some cow's tongue will be all I
need to do to connect back to the warmth and sun of Costa Rica.
Maybe.
*******
Directions:
Wash tongue whole but don't worry about peeling or removing outer
skin; place in pot and cover with water; add bay leaf, peppercorns,
celery, onions, garlic and salt; bring to boil and then simmer for
3-4 hours. Remove tongue from water and peel off the outer skin;
slice like roast beef as thin or think as you wish. Serve with
horseradish or other sauces alongside vegetables.
