Langue de Veau Sauce Piquante

Langue de Veau Sauce Piquante

Hub likes to tell me about the Beef Tongue in Hot Sauce that his mother used to make him when he was younger. Since I'm not his mother and especially since I do not like beef tongue, I ignored him for a good decade.

I have decided to relent. Especially since the MIL is now here for a month and could instruct me on how to make this classic French dish. Plus share the meat with her son. So Hub's in luck this evening and will have Langue de Veau Sauce Piquante (partially prepared by his mummy) for dinner.

Langue de Veau Sauce Piquante :

1 large Veal or Beef Tongue (soaked for 15 minutes in a cold-water-and-white-wine-vinegar bath)

2 cubes of Beef stock

Enough water to cover the tongue

1 Carrot (sliced)

Half a Leek (sliced)

2 Bay leaves

2 sprigs Thyme

2 sprigs Rosemary

1 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Flour

4 Tbsp White wine vinegar

100ml Tomato double concentrate

1 Hot Red Chilli (sliced)

10 Cornichons (chopped, preferably French)

Place the veal tongue in a heavy-bottom pot (e.g. Le Creuset) and cover it with water. Bring to the boil and add 2 beef stock cubes, the carrots, leeks and fresh herbs. Bring the water to a boil again, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 and a half hours.

Underside of the veal tongue

Remove the tongue and peel it (easily). Slice into serving pieces and cover with some of the stock while waiting so that they do not dry out.

Make a roux with the butter and flour in a small sauce pot. When the flour is cooked, slowly stir in a cup of the beef stock (filtered if you wish) each time so that you do not get lumps in your sauce. You'll probably need about 3 cups of the stock in total.

Stir in the tomato sauce and vinegar, garnish with the chopped cornichons and pour over the veal tongue slices. Eat the veal tongue with a few boiled or fried potatoes and fresh country bread.