The Little Women Cookbook by Jenne Bergstrom

Author:Jenne Bergstrom
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ulysses Press
Published: 2019-02-24T16:00:00+00:00

Cold Tongue Sandwiches

If you’ve never tried tongue before, don’t be scared! Prepared this way, it tastes very similar to corned beef. The texture is a little more rubbery than other cuts of beef, but sliced thin it’s very tasty.

The French rolls are an interesting recipe; we’re not quite sure what the reasoning was for adding the whipped egg whites in this way, but the result is a fine, light bread that makes cute little sandwiches. The method here doesn’t seem especially French, but young Amy’s French is always an approximation anyway …

Makes 9 small sandwiches

• For cold tongue:

• 8 cups (2 quarts) water

• 1½ cups salt

• 2 tablespoons pink curing salt

• ½ cup molasses

• 1 beef tongue, 3 to 4 pounds

• 4 cups ice

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon peppercorns

For 9 small French rolls:

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 cup milk

• 1 pound flour (about 4 cups)

• 1 tablespoon salt

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 packet active dry or instant yeast (2¼ teaspoons)

• 3 egg whites

• vegetable oil, for greasing

For the sandwiches:

• butter, softened

• parsley sprigs, for garnish

Prepare the cold tongue:

1. Start at least 10 days before you want to eat. Combine the water, salt, pink curing salt, and molasses in a large stock pot that will hold the tongue and will fit in your refrigerator. Heat on high until the salt and molasses are dissolved, then remove from heat and allow to cool.

2. Rinse off the tongue and trim off some of the gristly part at the back if you like.

3. Add the ice to the brine in the pot, and stir until the mixture is completely cold.

4. Put the tongue in the pot, making sure it’s completely submerged. If it floats, place a ceramic bowl or other heavy nonreactive object on top to keep it under the brine.

5. Put the whole contraption in the refrigerator and leave it for 10 days. Check on it every day or so and flip the meat over so it brines evenly.

When you are ready to cook the tongue:

1. Pour off the brine and rinse the tongue well. Wash the pot.

2. Return the meat to the pot and fill it with enough water to cover the meat by an inch or so. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns.

3. Simmer over low heat so it’s barely bubbling for about 3 hours, until tender, or 150°F in the center. Check it occasionally and add more water as needed.

4. Drain the tongue and allow it to cool for a bit.

5. Peel the skin off the tongue—it should pull off easily. (This is probably the creepiest part of the process, our apologies.)

6. Slice the tongue thinly and serve in sandwiches or however you like. You’ll find that the part toward the root of the tongue is fattier and more tender.

Prepare the rolls:

1. Put the butter and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm until the butter is mostly melted. Don’t let it get too hot; you should be able to put your finger in without burning yourself.

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