Boiled Tongues

Soak the prepared tongues over night in a liberal quantity of cold water to freshen them slightly, if they are salted, or blanch them if they are fresh. On the following day put them in a saucepan over the fire with fresh cold water for boiling tongues, or boiling water for fresh ones, and allow twenty minutes for each tongue from the time they begin to boil. A sliced lemon, or one teacupful of vinegar, and one teaspoonful each of whole cloves and peppercorns boiled with a large tongue, or less for smaller tongues, and so on in proportion, greatly improves the flavor. When the tongues are done take them up, peel off the skins and return them again to the hot liquor to keep them warm, or if they are to be used cold let them cool in it. When serving them cut them into long slices, beginning near the tip. All the fleshy parts and the fat near the roots of the tongues will serve to make excellent hash when cold, but are not generally served with the tongue.

Boiled Beef Tongue With Chestnuts

Place a pickled beef tongue in a bowl of water to soak, then put it in a saucepan with water to cover and boil for two hours; take it out, drain and remove the skin. Cover the bottom of a saucepan with vegetables cut in slices and a few sweet herbs, place the tongue on top and pour in enough broth and white wine to moisten to half its height. Cover with paper, place over a slow fire and cook until the tongue is tender, turning it occasionally so as to glaze it on both sides. Have ready a puree of chestnuts, moderately thick, spread it over a dish and place the tongue on it; add a little more broth to the liquor in the saucepan, boil well, skim and strain into another saucepan, reduce it to half-glaze, pour it over the tongue, and serve.

Braised Beef Tongue

Soak a beef tongue in warm water until all the blood is extracted and the water quite cold. Take it out, drain, trim off the superfluous fat and lard the meat with fat bacon. Put it in a braising pan with a few cloves, carrots and onions, a little thyme and parsley, two slices of fat bacon or pork, sufficient stock to moisten it and salt and pepper to taste. Set the pan at the side of the fire, cover it, place hot ashes on the top and cook slowly for about four hours. Take out the tongue when done, remove the skin, cut it lengthwise into halves, lay them open on a dish, pour some tomato or piquant sauce over, and serve.

Broiled Slices Of Beef Tongue In Cases

Cut up into thick slices a braised beef tongue, cover them with thin slices of bacon, sprinkle over a few minced sweet herbs and wrap the whole round with pieces of greased paper, folding them in such a manner that the liquor cannot run out; place them on a gridiron over a clear fire, and broil. When done lay them on a dish, and serve.

Beef Tongue Financiere

Blanch a couple of fresh beef tongues, put them into a saucepan lined with vegetables cut in slices and a few small pieces of bacon, moisten with a little broth, cover the tongues with paper, put the saucepan on the fire with hot ashes on the lid, and cook until the tongues are quite tender. Remove and drain them; trim the thick or root ends, making them as round as possible, and with a sharp knife cut the tongues transversely to half their length and remove the top pieces. Cut these into slices and put them back in their places. Put a flat crouton of fried bread in the center of a dish, mask it with forcemeat poached in the oven, glaze the tongues and put them on it, with their root ends meeting in the middle; surround the base with a financiere garnishing and garnish with quenelles made with a spoon, and some larger ones studded with truffles. Serve with a sauceboatful of brown sauce reduced with wine. Should salted tongues be used they will only require to be boiled with plenty of water until they are tender, and then treated as above.