Fear Factor - Phobia V: Tacos de Lengua

Before you turn to your Spanish dictionary for confirmation, yes, these tacos are made from beef tongue.  Please don't run away kicking and screaming, you'll really be missing out!

I pride myself on not being a picky eater.  That being said, I have never really eaten or cooked any sort of offal - "the nasty bits" as Anthony Bourdain would say, nose-to-tail, the organs that often get discarded.  To be honest, I'm afraid.  Very afraid.  The smell of liver and onions that would permeate our house once a year as a child still gives me nightmares.  I don't like pate, foie gras or any other "delicacy" made from those other cuts.

But I do want to try new things, grow some cajones, conquer my fears and explore different cultures.  Traditionally (and in many places even today), meat was very expensive and these were often the only cuts the average person could afford.  They learned how to cook them well, make them delicious, and many of our favorite dishes today were the result of such ingenuity.

I figured that the best place to start my foray into this whole new world was with a cut that was still a muscle, just like the steak harvested from other parts of the cow.  I'd heard good things about beef tongue from everyone who'd tried it and it's almost a religious experience for taco truck obsessives. So when a sign posted at Springfield Farm alerted me to FREE beef tongue (along with livers, kidneys and other, scarier meats), I figured why not.  After all, if I didn't like it I could throw it away without the guilt.  My philosophy always when trying something new is not to vary too much from the classic preparation.  Therefore, I set out to make some beef tongue tacos.

And I have to say, I'm so glad I did.  Cleaning the tongue was the hardest part, with a bit of an ick factor, because there's no doubt what you're dealing with.  Most recipes call for boiling the tongue, then peeling back the skin, but I chose to cut the skin off first so that I could sear and braise the meat.  Although this was a bit more difficult then cooking it first, I think it allowed me to develop more flavor and quickly disguise the cut for the squeamish.  Once braised in a tomato and chile based sauce, it was tender and super flavorful, the essence of what a beef taco should be.  At this point, it looked and felt just like pot roast, not scary at all.  If you're on the fence, do give it a try.  Sandwiched in a corn tortilla with fresh salsa and sharp cheddar, I honestly think these might be the best tacos I've ever had.

Tacos de Lengua (Braised Beef Tongue Tacos)

Note: this makes WAY more sauce then you will use for the amount of meat, but it is necessary to properly braise the meat.  The extra freezes well and is a great enchilada sauce or base for a mexican soup or chili.

1 3-4 lb. beef tongue
1 quart tomatoes (alternatively substitute canned stewed tomatoes and skip the skinning step)

2 Tbsp olive oil (divided)
spice rub of your choice
1 large onion
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp chile powder
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ancho chile powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup red wine
3-4 cups beef stock

1 tsp olive oil
6 inch corn tortillas
grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar
fresh (preferably homemade) salsa
other toppings of your choice (ex: sour cream, guacamole, radish, shredded carrots or lettuce, avocado, etc)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl.  Slit each tomato with a paring knife.

When the water is boiling, add the tongue and boil for 5 minutes or so.  Emerge in ice bath to cool down.  Use a sharp serrated knife to trim away the tongue of all skin and any meat that seems to have an odd texture (such as where the tongue attaches to the mouth of the cow) and discard.  Meanwhile, immerse the tomatoes in the boiling water until their skin starts to peel away, then plunge them into an ice bath.  After they've cooled, peel and remove any tough cores, then set aside.

Drain your pot of water, add 1 Tbsp of oil and put over medium high heat. Split the tongue into 2 pieces, preferably similar in size.  At this point it should resemble a chuck roast or another normal beef cut.  Rub each piece with the spice rub.  I used McCormick's Cowboy Rub.  Any sort of Mexican, steak or BBQ rub will do.  Sear the tongue on each side until well browned.  Remove and set aside.

Add the remaining Tbsp of oil and saute onions until soft.  Add chipotle, tomato paste and seasonings.  Saute until slightly caramelized and beginning to brown on the bottom of the pan.  Add red wine and stir to deglaze.  Reintroduce the tomatoes and tongue and transfer to a slow cooker.  Add enough stock to almost cover the meat.  Cook on the high setting in the slow cooker for 4 hours.

Remove beef tongue.  Puree sauce (I recommend a stick blender for this) and bring it to a boil to reduce. Meanwhile, chop the meat.  The sauce should reduce until thickened, a little bit less thick then a marinara.

When this consistency is reached, heat up a tsp of oil in a small skillet.  Fry up the tongue meat (about a cup for every 3 tacos) for a couple of minutes before adding a big spoonful of sauce.  Let cook about another minute in the sauce.  Meanwhile, spritz tortillas with cooking spray and toast in a large nonstick pan until slightly charred.

To assemble, sprinkle tortilla with shredded cheese, pile in meat and top with salsa and other toppings of your choosing.  Then sit back and enjoy taco nirvana, preferably alongside a cold Corona with lime.

Return to Emilia-Romagna

It's been a while since I had the time to post a Daring Baker's challenge, and for some reason I was still struggling with the whole make a vegan dip and cracker thing. However, there was no way I could pass up a lasagna challenge, and I was curious to see how it would measure up to my own ultimate recipe. The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge. Lasagne is one of my favorite foods and I've traveled through this region of Italy and miss it incredibly. I was so looking forward to the memories I thought this would bring back.


Sadly, it was deeply disappointing. While my recipe may be less authentic, its layers of flavor are richer and more crowd pleasing. L and I agreed that while the meat ragu would have been fabulous on some pappardelle, its complexity was lost when mixed with the spinach of the noodles and the creaminess of the béchamel. Most surprising was how strikingly different it was from my usual version, even though I make my own fresh noodles and a béchamel in mine as well!


So my verdict is, if you want to experience the pleasures of slow cooking demanded by a traditional lasagne, give it a try. But for my time, it was not worth the 6 hours when 1 hour yields a better result!

Lasagne Verdi al Forno


Serves 8 to 10

1 recipe Spinach Pasta cut for lasagna (recipe follows)
1 recipe Parmesan Herb Béchamel (recipe follows)
1 recipe Country Style Ragu (recipe follows)
1 cup (4 ounces/125g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 3 quart shallow baking dish.


Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about two long overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about 1&1/2 tablespoons of the béchamel and about 1/3 cup of the cheese.


Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.


Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve.

Pasta Verde


In my opinion - this was the least tasty part of the lasagna - I recommend using a plain fresh egg noodle recipe, like the one I have here, but cut for lasagna

3 large eggs
6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry - btw, the easiest way to do this is to stab the plastic bag all over with a fork, then squeeze so the water goes out the perforations - mess free!
3 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour


I used a Kitchen Aid mixer to make the dough, and its pasta attachment to roll it - however, the spinach was not about to mix in, even though it was finely chopped. I had to take it for a whir in the food processor.


Even after that, the dough did not roll out nicely. As soon as it got thin, the small bits of spinach would cause it to develop small holes everywhere, and it looked very lacy. When it cooked up, it was not very tasty and the texture was offputting.



Parmesan Herb Bechamel - my version

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small shallot, minced fine
4 tablespoons all purpose unbleached flour
2 2/3 cups 1 % milk
3 Tbsp dried italian herbs
1/3 cup freshly grated parmaggiano reggiano
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg to taste


Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat and quickly saute shallot until softened. Add the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth, then add the herbs. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with cheese, salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

Ragu alla Contadina


This sauce was incredible on its own and would have been better if its flavors weren't masked by everything else. They called for grinding up the meat - but I left it in small 1/2 inch chunks and it braised to gorgeous melt-in-your-mouth pieces! I thought the slow addition of stock and the milk was odd, but it came out incredibly rich and flavorful because of it. This part I will definitely make again!

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 ounces, finely chopped (a slice about 1/2 inch thick will do nicely)
1 medium onion, minced
1 medium stalk celery, minced
1 large carrot, minced
8 ounces boneless veal shoulder
4 ounces beef skirt steak
2 ounces Prosciutto di Parma
2/3 cup dry red wine - I used Shiraz
2 & 1/2 cups chicken or beef stock (homemade if possible)
2 cups 1 % milk
1 can San Marzano crushed tomatoes
Italian herbs, Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Browning the Ragu Base:
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Stir meats into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown.


Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Stir 3/4 cup stock and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another 3/4 cup stock. Stir in the last 1 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir occasionally to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes and herbs. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Working Ahead?
The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking. The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature (20 degrees Celsius/68 degrees Fahrenheit) about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

The Calamari Paradox

There's nothing more disappointing then ordering calamari in a restaurant and waiting in lip-smacking anticipation as the waiter plops down the platter, only to discover it's been overcooked. It can be like eating strips of truck tires and it's happened to me time and again, in the cheap dives and the high end, white-tablecloth shrouded snobberies. Calamari's tricky. Should you be brave enough to attempt your own golden fried version, check out my recipe here. But I have an even better idea - why not make it fool-proof, add more deep complexity, and celebrate the best briney goodness of the squid.

I've always heard that there are two ways to cook squid, lightning fast or tortoise-slow. I don't think I ever believed that calamari that braised for an hour or more could possibly be edible. So many memories of crisp-fried rubber came back to haunt me. But low and behold, when calamari simmers away, it develops such a silky tenderness, and such rich flavors that I'm not sure I can ever look at a plate of the fried stuff again.

So I challenge you. Make this delicious squid. Serve it over pasta as I have, or with some crusty bread, and then come back and tell me what you think. It will change your world!

Spaghetti with Slow-Cooked Calamari Marinara


2 Tbsp olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, smashed open
14.5 oz fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup white wine
1 lb. calamari, cut into rings (You can use tentacles, but I didn't)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly ground coarse black pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

2 Tbsp pesto
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 lb. spaghetti, cooked to al dente in salted water

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook gently without browning until fragrant. Add tomatoes, wine, calamari, tomato paste and seasonings. Bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium-low heat (uncovered) for about an hour. The calamari should be meltingly tender when it's done and the sauce should have reduced and become thicker.

When the pasta is just about cooked, add the pesto, cheese and parsley to the calamari. Then use a spaghetti hook to transfer the pasta into the pot with the calamari. Finish cooking the pasta in the sauce so that it absorbs some of the flavors.

Serve steaming hot with an extra flourish of chopped parsley.

Enchilada Night!

There's nothing like a good mexican dish. I'm not talking a greasy, only slightly spiced flour tortilla wrapped monstrosity drowning in too much cheese, but the real, homestyle mexican rich with lean meats, intense flavors, healthy veggies and redolent of cilantro. One of L's favorites has always been my shredded chicken enchiladas. Here's an even healthier, even more flavorful twist.

Smokey Shredded Chicken, Spinach and Black Bean Enchiladas



1 tsp olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
3 - 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted
2 minced chipotle chiles in adobo
2 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp chile powder
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbsp cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp red annatto powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
3 chicken breasts

15.5 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
16 oz bag of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry of all liquid
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced onion

16 small corn tortillas
8 oz. 2% shredded mexican cheese (1 bag)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste, let cook until slightly caramelized. Add tomatoes, chipotles, chicken broth and seasonings. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Use a stick blender to puree most of the sauce, leaving a few chunks of tomato and onion. Continue to simmer over low heat, adding the chicken to cook in the sauce.

While the chicken is cooking, combine black beans, spinach, cheese, cilantro and onion in a large bowl and mix well.

When chicken is just cooked through, remove it to a cutting board. Go at it with a couple of forks until it's well shredded. Add to filling mixture along with a couple ladle-fulls of sauce and mix well.

Fill each tortilla as much as possible, wrap it around and place it seam side down in a large baking dish. Repeat for 16 enchiladas. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

In Praise of a Good Braise

Braising and cold weather go hand in hand. And slow cookers take the wait out of the equation. There's nothing like coming home on a dreary frigid day to the succulent fragrance of slow cooked meat and veggies in wine. It fades away the stress that the workday and traffic has kneaded into you. And when it happens to consist of a tasty cut of meat braised in port, it's even better!

Port Braised Pot Roast


one 5-7 lb. chuck roast
1 1/2 cup ruby port
1 Tbsp tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
1 cup diced porcini mushrooms
5 whole garlic cloves
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
2 Tbsp worchestershire sauce
1 mushroom bouillon
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tsp ancho chile powder
2 bay leaves
1 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1 bag of frozen pearl onions
2 cups baby carrots

1 cup frozen peas
cooked egg noodles or rice to serve it on top of

In a cast iron dutch oven (or the insert of your slow cooker if you're lucky enough to have a cast iron one like me!), sear the roast over high heat in some olive oil until browned on each side. Add the port, tomato paste, and broth and bring to a simmer. Add mushrooms, garlic and chile, then seasonings. Simmer for 3 minutes, then taste and adjust as needed. (The liquid should just cover the meat). Add the veggies and bring back to a simmer.

At this point you have two options. Cool, cover and refrigerate for cooking the next day, or put directly into your slow cooker. In either case the braise will take at least 6 and no more than 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. Mine has a lovely timer and automatically keeps things warm after they're done cooking.

Once it is fall-apart tender, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat and most of the veggies. I like to remove any bits of fat and shred the meat now. L doesn't like it shredded, so I leave some in chunks for him. Do what you like most.

Meanwhile, use an immersion (stick) blender to whir together and emulsify the braising liquid. Once it is smooth, bring the liquids to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce it down to about half its volume, or until it thickens. Add meat and veggies back in, along with peas. Cook just enough to warm the peas through. Enjoy over egg noodles, polenta or steamed rice.