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Lengua a la vinagreta

Beef tongue with vinaigrette

Lengua a la vinagreta: Argentina's cold beef tongue under a sharp parsley and egg vinaigrette

Argentina's Nochebuena is a hot summer night, so the table is full of cold dishes, and lengua a la vinagreta is one of the classics: beef tongue simmered until tender, peeled, sliced and covered with a sharp vinaigrette of parsley, garlic, red pepper, onion and chopped hard-boiled egg. It is made a day ahead and served chilled with vitel toné and Russian salad. Chef's tip: peel the tongue while it is still hot, as the skin comes away easily then and clings once it cools.
Total time
210 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
8
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Ingredients

Serves8

For the tongue

For the vinaigrette

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What you'll need

Fresh ingredients (7)

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Method

0/5 done
  1. Step 1: Scrub 2 ⅝ lb beef tongue under cold water. Put in a pot with 1 onion, 1 carrot, 2 bay leaves, 10 black peppercorns and 2 tsp salt, cover with water and simmer gently for 2½–3 hours, until a skewer slides into the thickest part easily.

    170 min
  2. Step 2: Lift out and, while hot, slit the thick skin along the top and peel it off. Trim away any gristle and fat at the root end. A common mistake is letting it cool first: the skin then sticks and tears the meat.

    10 min
  3. Step 3: Cool, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, then slice thinly across.

  4. Step 4: Mix 3 hard-boiled eggs, 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, 2 cloves garlic, 1 red pepper, ½ red onion, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, ¾ cup sunflower or olive oil, ½ tsp chilli flakes and 1 tsp salt.

  5. Step 5: Layer the tongue slices on a platter, spoon the vinaigrette over generously and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Serve cold.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
380 kcal
Protein
22 g
Carbs
4 g
Fat
30 g
Fibre
1 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does lengua a la vinagreta take?
About 210 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 180 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of onion?
2 shallots per onion.
What can I use instead of carrot?
Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.

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