The spiced beef tongues

Press, 3 January 1979, Page 10

The spiced beef tongues

Platters of cold, sliced meats are very useful over the holiday period, especially when unexpected visitors arrive.

To cut down on my time in the kitchen, I have been trying to cook two or three days meat at erne time. This works most successfully — as long as there is room for it to be kept in the refrigerator after cooking, of course. Some days, on the ccfld meat platter we have a variety — e.g. cold roast lamb, spiced beef tongue and bought salami. As well as looking more interesting than usual, this means that the last few slices of yesterday’s meat can be used up, without apology. The platter can be prepared several hours

before it is td be eaten as long as it is well covered and refrigerated. This spiced beef tongue is much more tasty than a plain unseasoned tongue. I usually cook it two days before I plan to serve it. Leftovers which are not added to a mixed platter are good in sandwiches, in filled rolls, or chopped up in potato salad or risotto.

Ingredients:— 1 large (or two small) corned beef tongues Water to cover 2 onions 1-2 cloves garlic 6-8 cloves 1 bayleaf J teaspoon cinnamon | teaspoon ginger i teaspoon allspice | teaspoon peppercorns | teaspoon coriander seeds (optional)

Gelatine — see below) Place tongues in a saucepan just big enough to hold them comfortably (if you use too big a saucepan you need to use too much water). Cover them with water, add the remaining ingredients, crushing the coriander seeds with a millet, or anything heavy. Cover, and simmer gently for three hours, then pierce with a fork. If tender, remove from heat, otherwise cook for one half to one hour longer, until tender.

Lift tongues from cooking liquid and plunge into cold water. Pull off the skin and trim any small bones and fatty pieces from the foot , s end. Arrange tongues in a bowl or any other suitable

Strain and skim the cooking liquid, and measure as much as you need. Measure two level teaspoons of gelatine for each cup of broth. Mix the

mould, then pour enough water over them to cover them. Pour off this water immediately measuring it so you know how much sto'ck will be needed for the jelly around the meat.

gelatine with two or three tablespoons of cold water or coo j broth, then leave to stand for two or three minutes. Pour warm broth over gelatine — heating mixture if broth is not hot

enough to dissolve it. Pour mixture around meat and stand a small flat plate or saucer on top. Weight this down with any container.

(I use my crock of pickled onions, or a storage jar of salt) and leave until the gelatine mixture sets. Refrigerate then unmould by running a knife between the meat and the bawl.

The unmoulded tongue v.’ill keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Always cover cold meat in

the refrigerator, to prevent drying out.