Makes: 10 portions. Cooking time: 1½ hours. Oven temperature: 180°C.
Ingredients:
— 6 lambs tongues
— 1 liter brown sauce
— 1 liter sauce espagnole
Method:
(1) Place the tongues into a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil for approximately 5 minutes. Place the saucepan under hot running water to remove the scum and grease and then refresh under-cold running water. Drain in a colander. Remove any sinew from the tongues.
(2) Cover the tongues with the brown stock, bring to the boil and gently simmer for approximately 1 hour.
(3) Remove the tongues from the stock, allow to cool and then remove the skins using a small knife. The skin should peel away from the tongues with ease.
(4) Place the tongues in a shallow sided saucepan, add the brown sauce and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and braise in the oven until cooked.
(5) Remove the tongues from the cooking liquid and retain in a covered dish to keep warm.
(6) Strain the cooking liquid into a clean saucepan, boil, skim and remove all traces of fat and other impurities that may surface. Strain the sauce once again through a conical strainer without using pressure and reboil.
(7) Season to taste and if necessary correct the consistency and color.
(8) Slice the tongues approximately 3 mm thick and neatly arrange the slices on a flat oval dish. Coat with the sauce and serve.
Notes:
(1) To test if the tongue is cooked insert a trussing needle. When cooked the needle will penetrate to the center without undue pressure and the juices released should be clear.
(2) The dish may be assessed as for Braised Joint of Beef.
(3) For retention, remove the tongues from the braising liquid, rinse in warm brown stock to remove the cooking liquid and retain in cold stock with the cooking liquid quite separate. Store in a refrigerator at a temperature of 8°C.
(4) To reheat, arrange the slices of tongue 2-3 mm thick on the serving dish, coat with a little white stock and gently heat. Do not allow the tongues to boil as this will cause them to distort. Drain off the stock, coat with the sauce and serve. (It is general trade practice to make the sauce separately from the tongues which are reheated in this way when required.)
(5) To carve the tongue, commence across the thick end of the tongue. When the length of the slice becomes impractical begin to cut across the tongue lengthways towards the tip.