Ox Tongue in Mushroom Sauce with Risotto Alla Milanese

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Hosted another dinner party at the request of one of my very best friends since her family will be in town to attend a family wedding. I usually cook dinner every time she is in town after informing me a few weeks earlier of course, that she is flying in (with my godson usually) and what it is they want to eat. That or we go out if I don't have the time to cook. For this dinner however, her husband requested ox tongue which is something I've done before as a dare to my American and European friends. My only concern is whether if I could find a meat shop that carries quality ox tongue and well, the amount of work it will take to cook the dish. 

Copyright 2013 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Ox tongue is usually cooked in a sweet peppery sauce flavored with pineapples as a sweetener. For me however, I prefer to cook it in a thick mushroom gravy served over risotto or a garlic-infused mashed potato. Both are equally good but the former is typical of a dish served during weddings or fiestas while my version is more suited for fine dining in my house as it invokes touches of the French style of cooking. Okay, I'm not being snooty, I'm just saying that I prefer to cook my ox tongue a bit differently. My friends loved it so I'm relieved that my efforts paid off. Anyway, I only took the before picture but spared you from the messy in-between takes of the preparation. Might have been a good idea but pictorially, it will be a bit of a mess. So, if you are really interested in making this dish, I can direct you to a few videos that go over this in detail.

Ox Tongue in Mushroom Sauce with Risotto Alla Milanese

8-10 lbs ox tongue (each tongue weighs about 4-5 lbs)
8 bay leaves
1 tbsp peppercorns
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 lb dried shitake mushrooms
1 tbsp salt (for parboiling)
1 large carrot
2 large onions, quartered
4 garlic cloves, mashed
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp black truffle oil
6 tbsp olive oil
2 beef stock bouillon 
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
Risotto Alla Milanese

Parboiling and Cleaning:

1. In a large pot, combine the ox tongue, 4 bay leaves, peppercorns, white 
    vinegar and enough water to cover the tongue. 

2. Bring to a boil and cook for at least 30 minutes or until the tongue has 
    shrunk to about half its original size. 

3. Remove from the cooking liquid and allow to cool. Discard the cooking 
    liquid. 

4. Once the tongue is cool enough to handle, clean it off by removing the skin
    using a knife. I sometimes use a vegetable peeler. Rinse and set aside for 
    the next step.   

Main Preparation:

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions, 4 
    bay leaves and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper and saute until the 
    onions are slightly browned. 

2. Add the tongue and brown on both sides. Pour in enough water to cover 
    the tongue and drop in the carrots and the beef bouillon. Bring to a boil.

3. Once the pot is boiling, cover and simmer for 3-4 hours or until a knife 
    goes through the thickest part of the meat easily. Remove the tongue and 
    allow it to rest. Save the cooking liquid.

4. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 
    Add the flour to make a roux.

5. Pour the cooking liquid onto the pan over a sieve. Mash the carrots and 
    onions and force it through the sieve. 

6. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Add the truffle oil and 
    Worcestershire sauce. Check for flavor and season with salt and pepper. 
    If too salty, just add more water.

7. Slice the cooled meat into thin slices and add into the gravy. Simmer 
    over low heat until ready to serve. 

Sauteed Shitake Mushrooms:

1 lbs fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp black truffle oil
salt and pepper
   
1. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and
    saute until just softened. 

2. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook 
    until the mushrooms have softened. Drizzle in the truffle oil and remove 
    from the heat. 

To assemble this dish, spoon out a good amount of Risotto Alla Milanese and top with 3-4 slices of the ox tongue. Top with a tablespoon of sauteed mushrooms. Drizzle with the gravy and garnish with a sprig of parsley.