Say lengua in the Philippines and the image conjured is a dish of sliced ox tongue served either with mushrooms and white sauce, simply called lengua in mushroom sauce, or a dark sweet-salty sauce called estofado.
This dish is a variation of lengua in mushroom sauce. I have cooked this more than half a dozen times before but photographing was always a headache–it’s not easy taking photos of white subjects especially without using the flash. I suppose that my failure to take a decent photo of this dish in the past was a sort of blessing as well. See, while I used canned corn kernels before, when I cooked my ox tongue in cream and corn sauce two nights ago, I decided to use fresh corn.
I had about six cobs of Japanese corn I bought from Shopwise but my kids wouldn’t eat them off the cob. I thought it was strange considering that they’re real corn eaters and steamed Japanese corn was always a favorite. Well, I stopped wondering after trying the corn myself–they weren’t as sweet as they used to be. They weren’t crisp either. After 45 minutes in the steamer, usually more than enough to cook them just right, they tasted like they should have stayed in the steamer for at least another 45 minutes.
So, I had all those corn cobs which no one would eat. I wrapped them in cling film, put them in the fridge and, the following day, I scraped the kernels off the cobs and used them to cook the ox tongue. Another 45 minutes of cooking and the kernels were perfect — still crisp but without the raw taste.
Ingredients :
1 ox tongue (about 1-1/2 kg.)
1 whole onion
1 whole garlic
1 tbsp. of peppercorns
a bay leaf
1 225 g. carton of all-purpose (single) cream
1/3 c. of butter
4-6 tbsps. of corn starch
3-4 c. of corn kernels
3/4 c. of chopped onion
salt
ground pepper
Cooking procedure :
Cook the ox tongue as described in the focaccia in bigger supermarkets and bakeries.
Cut the focaccia into 1-inch wide slices. Brush with softened butter and bake in a hot oven until toasted and crisp.
 in cream and corn sauce on http://casaveneracion.com){kind=link}
This looks absolutely lovely
My grandma used to make tongue all the time.
Everyone in my family loves lengua. It’s really just the amount of time needed to make it tender that’s a real bummer.
my daughter loves lengua though i don’t think i have the skill to cook it the way she wants it. she loves focaccia too. we buy focaccia bread during (sidcor) market one sunday marketing at the lung center of the phils.
we get grilled tuna and maya-maya ulo as well for our sinigang.
ooohh, fish head for sinigang is soooo good.
I love lengua though haven’t tasted it with corn before. Will try it at home.
Please email me any kind of new and old recipes you have. Thanks:smile:
Hi Connie! I tried out your Baked Macaroni recipe for Noche Buena and it turned out great! The hubby and I loved the cream-cheesy topping! Now, I’ve been trying to look for a recipe for lengua – a cross between the original estofado recipe and something with a red wine-y semi-sweet sauce. I remember eating that kind of dish at Sulo Hotel back when I was in grade school. If you have anything similar, please do share. I’m thinking of experimenting, but I’m a little afraid to waste my lovely lengua
I have two and I am getting ready to use your Lengua with Mushroom Sauce recipe right now … for Christmas lunch!! Yum! Thanks! I appreciate your fab site!
Hi! this is my family’s most favorite recipe. I’m glad you published how to cook it. I’m new at cooking and i want to try out new stuff. This will definitely be my next endevour. I just wanna ask if you can translate peppercorn and bay leaf in tagalog coz’ i think i’ll have a hard time buying it if i use this term. thanks. God Bless.
peppercorn and bay leaf = laurel na may pamintang buo? yung kalimitang ginagamit sa adobo?
is it right ms. connie?
Yes, that’s it!
Oooohhh! I love lengua! I think I’m gonna try this. Miss Connie, I love your site!
Hi Connie! I’ve been an ardent follower of your recipes/websites for such a long time. You inspire me to be creative and try new recipes that I can serve to my family. I really love eating Ox tongue but can’t seem to have the guts to cook it. I will definitely try this recipe for our Media Noche this coming 31st. Happy Holidays!
Hi Ms Connie,
Can i use pressure cooker for the ox tongue? If yes, how many minutes? thanks.
I wish you’d read through the entire recipe. The answer to your question is already there.
hi! you mentioned pressure cooking ox tongue for about 2 hours and fifteen minutes. i have read from other sites doing it for about 30 minutes. i have not yet tried any. what could you say regarding this?
Ox tongue needs at least 4 hours of regular cooking time. Pressure cooking means 1/2 of that time.
Hi connie, where do you lengua?
What do you mean…
Haha! I guess jean meant “Where do you BUY lengua?” means funny when you forgot just a word…
Lengua with bread was just how Hizon’s used to serve it way, way back…
The four hours cooking time? Worth every second of this truly ‘food of the gods’ dish!
Thanks so much for sharing, Connie!
If ox tongue weren’t so expensive, my daughter would love to have it every other day.
Hi Ms. Connie!
your dishes make me drool! 
I am a lazy cook but after seeing your blog, you inspire me to become a great chef! 
hehe! 
thank you so much for sharing your recipes! 
God bless! 
Can i use a different meat, instead of ox tongue, cause my children do not eat lengua…if so what would be a good cut of meat? chuck, sirloin etc? please advise thank you
You can use beef or pork, roast whole slabs, slice…
thank you Connie…i will make this for Mother’s day..happy mother’s day to you also. Love your website..please don’t ever stop giving us good recipes
The day I stop posting recipes will be the day we stop eating hehehehe It’ll never happen.
Love Lengua……
Thanks for the tip Connie..
hi connie,just wanna ask what kind of cream did you use for this recipe?..
i’m one of your avid follower since 2009 and who always falls in love with your recipes..:) your recipe tastes like diamonds!always a winnner!
thanks a lot for sharing your cooking talent with us and may the good Lord bless your heart and your family always..:0)
Hi Anna
Please click this link — that will be more helpful than a simple answer from me.
Thanks a lot Connie…:))
Your site is really a great help..More power and God bless..:0)