Lengua (Ox Tongue)

Ingredients

1 ox tongue, about 4 pounds, trimmed 
salt to clean and rub tongue
1 big onion, chopped
1 head garlic, minced
1 tablespoon black peppercorn,  freshly ground
1/2 cup  coconut or palm vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 bay leaves
6 medium Roma tomatoes
2 cups raisins
1 cup red wine

Instructions

Wash tongue with warm water.  Generously rub with salt to remove grime.  Rinse well.  Boil with water covering tongue about 1 inch for 2 hours or until tender. Let cool. Peel and remove all white covering.  Save liquid to use later.

Put tongue in a pot and rub with garlic, onion,  salt, freshly ground black peppercorns, native vinegar, tomatoes, bay leaves, raisins, and red wine.  Add saved liquid to cook tongue.  Bring tongue to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 1 hour or until the tongue is tender, turning occasionally to prevent the tongue from burning. Let cool.  Strain liquid and save to use for sauce. 

Slice tongue diagonally with a sharp knife about 1/4" thick.  Arrange on a serving platter and pour sauce on top.  Add the green peas and button mushrooms on the sides.

To make sauce
1 small onion, chopped finely
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup red wine
salt and pepper to taste
Brown  chopped onion until toasted in olive oil and butter on medium-high heat.  Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour.  Add liquid saved earlier. Keep on stirring until roux darkens in color adding more saved liquid as needed.  Add red wine.  Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Strain and use as a sauce.

Veggies on the side
fresh button mushrooms brushed clean
2 cups frozen green peas

*Servings 6 to 8
*Edited by author 01/30/2011
*Edited by author 03/12, 2014