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📝 Description
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74
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🥘 Ingredients
1 tongue, a bunch of savoury herbs, water.
👨🍳 Method
In choosing a tongue, ascertain how long it has been dried or pickled, and select one with a smooth skin, which denotes its being young and tender. If a dried one, and rather hard, soak it at least for 12 hours previous to cooking it; if, however, it is fresh from the pickle, 2 or 3 hours will be sufficient for it to remain in sock. Put the tongue in a stewpan with plenty of cold water and a bunch of savoury herbs; let it gradually come to a boil, skim well and simmer very gently until tender. Peel off the skin, garnish with tufts of cauliflowers or Brussels sprouts, and serve. Boiled tongue is frequently sent to table with boiled poultry, instead of ham, and is, by many persons, preferred. If to serve cold, peel it, fasten it down to a piece of board by sticking a fork through the root, and another through the top, to straighten it. When cold, glaze it, and put a paper ruche round the root, and garnish with tufts of parsley.
📜 From Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). Public domain.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
I tried the boiled tongue this week, drawn to it by a sense of nostalgia and a desire to appreciate a humble cut that's fallen out of favour. I found the process of simmering the tongue with savoury herbs to be remarkably straightforward, and the resulting flavour was surprisingly delicate and refined. The tongue itself was tender and had a mild, slightly sweet taste that was a delightful departure from more assertive meats. One detail that surprised me was the transformation of the tongue's appearance once peeled—it was remarkably clean and uniform, almost like a blank canvas ready for presentation. This recipe would be perfect for a traditionalist or a comfort-seeker looking to reconnect with old-school cooking techniques. I served it cold, glazed and garnished with parsley, and it made for a satisfying, no-fuss lunch. It's a dish that deserves more love in today's culinary landscape.
