A new and better version of a recipe posted on Christmas Day in 2009 which, in turn, was a remake of a 2006 recipe.
In the 2009 version, the sauce was made with a roux, corn water, cream and the broth in which the ox tongue was cooked. It was pretty good, it was a breeze to make too, but then I discovered that by ditching the broth and substituting milk, and by adding grated cheese, the sauce becomes richer and creamier.
We just had this for lunch today and we all loved it.
Ingredients
- 1 ox tongue - about 1.5 kilograms
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion - halved
- 4 cloves garlic
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- the liquid from a can of corn kernels
- 1 cup cream
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese - (I used Gouda but feel free to substitute other kinds of cheese)
- salt
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
To assemble
- mashed potatoes
- corn kernels - (I used canned but fresh would be nicer), heated with 1 tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cook the ox tongue in water together with the salt, peppercorns, celery stalks, carrot, onion and garlic. In a slow cooker, it took ten hours on auto setting. You don’t really need a slow cooker for this, however, although it is a huge convenience. You can use any thick bottomed pan, cook over a slow simmer after the liquid boils — it will take four to five hours.
- Lift the ox tongue from the liquid, transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil and cool completely. If there is time, chill in the fridge for a few hours. This will make slicing easier and prevent the meet from falling apart.
- After the ox tongue has cooled, peel off the skin (it should pull off easily if the tongue has been cooked thoroughly). Slice the ox tongue. How thinly or how thickly depends on you. Set aside.
- Make the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the flour, all at once, stirring vigorously to smoothen out any lumps. Cook over medium heat for about five to seven minutes or until the edges of the mixture start to brown.
- Meanwhile, stir together the corn water and milk. Pour very slowly into the butter-flour mixture, stirring as you pour. Cook, stirring, until thickened and bubbly. Pour in the cream. Add the cheese. Stir until the cheese melts. If the sauce appears too thick for you (I like it thick), pour in more milk and cook a bit longer to blend. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the parsley. Optionally (but highly recommended), stir in a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter.
- To assemble, arrange a few slices of ox tongue on a plate. On the side, place scoops of mashed potatoes and buttered corn. Pour sauce over the meat and sidings.
If you cooked this dish (or made this drink) and you want to share your masterpiece, please use your own photos and write the cooking steps in your own words.
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