Braised beef tongue with mustard and mushroom sauce

Ingredients

• 1 (about 1.4kg) PnP pickled beef tongue 
• 1 onion, quartered 
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped 
• 2 stalks celery, roughly chopped 
• 1 PnP bouquet garni (herb and spice parcel)  
• Water, to cover 

Sauce: 

• Glug olive oil 
• 1 punnet (250g) portabellini mushrooms, sliced 
• 1 packet (200g) baby leeks, sliced 
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 2 Tbsp (30ml) wholegrain mustard 
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) Dijon mustard 
• Grated peel of 1 lemon 
• 1 cup (250ml) white wine or vegetable stock 
  
• Salt and milled pepper 

For serving:  

• Salad greens 

Method

1. Place tongue in a large pot with vegetables and bouquet garni.  
2. Add water, making sure it completely covers tongue.  
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2½–3 hours, topping up water as needed.  
4. Remove tongue from liquid and cool slightly for about 10 minutes, until it is easy to handle.  
5. Cut a shallow slit down the middle, starting from the tip and being careful to cut only through the rough skin to reveal pink meat. (Click here for the full step-by-step guide.) 
6. Peel skin off entirely and discard. 
7. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. 
8. Sauté mushrooms and leeks for 10-15 minutes, until they start to caramelise. 
9. Add garlic and mustards, and fry for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant. 
10. Add grated lemon peel and white wine or stock, and simmer until sauce has reduced, about 12-15 minutes. Season.  
11. Serve tongue sliced, with sauce and salad. 

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