Before the surge of modern Spanish concepts, your lolos and lolas went to Alba Cocina Español for the cuisine. This recipe hacks their beloved Lengua Sevillana: stewed ox tongue in sherry sauce. Although we couldn’t quite get the color, the taste and consistency cuts pretty close. Alba fans will adore it.
Ingredients
Ox Tongue
- 1 (about 800g) whole ox tongue
- 1 cup white onion, diced
- ½ cup carrot, diced
- ½ cup celery, chopped
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup ham, diced
- 2 tbsp white onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
- 1 jar green olives, drained and sliced
- 2 tbsp flour
- ½ cup red wine
- 3 cups beef stock
- salt and pepper, to taste
Cook ox tongue: Place ox tongue, white onion, carrot, and celery in a pot filled with water. Add the peppercorns, soy sauce and vinegar. Set pot over high heat. Once the liquid is boiling, turn down the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Let cook until ox tongue is tender, about 2 hours.
Slice ox tongue: Remove tongue from liquid, then drain and let cool slightly. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and slice into half-inch pieces. Set aside.
Make the sauce: Add oil in a shallow skillet over medium heat. Cook ham and onions until onions are slightly soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add butter, mushrooms, and olives to the pot and stir. Remove half of the mixture and set aside for garnish. Add the flour to the pot and stir continuously until flour begins to color. Whisk in wine and stock, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook sauce until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Finish: Add sliced tongue and cover the pot. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot with steamed rice.
Notes
For a sauce with more body, a reader suggests adding tomato paste, some brown sugar, one bay leaf, and sweet paprika. Thanks, Bob Serrano!
