Lengua en Salsa de Jitomate
Beef Tongue in Tomato Sauce

Today Martha is making lengua en salsa de jitomate, beef tongue in a tomato sauce with peas and carrots.

After the 1.3 Kg (almost 3 pound) tongue has been simmering in salted water with a whole onion for about two hours, she checks for doneness by plunging in a long tined fork and a butcher knife.

While the meat continues to cook a bit longer, she prepares the sauce.  The tomatoes are boiled,  skinned and added to the blinder along with a quarter of an onion, a clove of garlic, a few splinters of a cinnamon stick, and a pinch of thyme.  A small container of tomato purée is added to thicken the sauce.

The cooked tongue looks pretty unappetizing as it sits cooling.

The preparation begins with the removal of the tough membrane .

The meat is sliced into thin strips which will next be cut into bit-size pieces.

The cut up meat is returned to a pot with a bit of vegetable oil to simmer of a few minutes with frequent stirrings. 

 When the meat is well re-heated, the sauce and vegetables are added and simmered for a few minutes more.

The lengua was served with pasta in a cheese sauce and limeade.  And, of course, fresh warm tortillas.  A chile salsa was on the table for those who wanted a bit of heat.

This was my first taste of lengua, and I liked it very much.  Martha promised to make it for me again next week.

I don't think the vegetables added anything to the dish.  But I guess it is an easy way to get the kids to eat their veggies.