Fresh Boiled Tongue with Assorted Winter Veggies Served with Mustard Sauce

Serves 6-8

 OK—I was bored with the usual and when I encountered a beef tongue decently priced at Atkinsons’ Valley Market, I bought it with gusto.  20 degrees outside is perfect for an interior made tongue dish.  As I was cutting away the skin, I had warm memories of my mother serving my first introductory tongue at the table—skin on-in full glory and I was only 5 or 6.  Oh my—I couldn’t believe it however when my mother was done peeling off the skin and serving it, I thought differently.  It was delicious and still is—but the memories are strong and I had a good laugh today as I was pealing the skin—in memory of my dear mother. (Hint: You really are supposed to peal the skin pre-serving it.)  Oh well, leave it to the Dutch.

Ingredients for the cooking of the tongue:

1. One Fresh Beef Tongue
2. 2 Medium Sized Onions—Peeled and Left Whole
3. 1 Large Peeled Carrots Cut into Large Pieces
4. 4 Celery ribs with Leaves
5. 8 Peppercorns
6. 1 Tsp. Salt
7. 6 Sprigs Flat Leaf Italian Parsley
8. 1 Small Green Cabbage cut into small wedges
9. 10-12 Small Red Potatoes
10. I More Large Peeled Carrot Cut into Large Pieces
11. More Flat Leaf Italian Parsley to serve as garnish (this is really delicious to eat with the tongue)

Instructions for the cooking of the tongue:

1. In a large deep pot, place ingredients # 1-7 mentioned above in the pot and barely cover all with water.
2. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to a rolling simmer; cover and cook for about 3 hours. Do watch to make sure you aren’t simmering to much or that the water level is still adequate.
3. At the 3 hour point, remove the tongue (it should be fork tender at this point) and add to the pot the cabbage, small red potatoes and 2^nd carrot.
4. Peel the tongue and remove the roots.  Place the prepared tongue back in the pot on top of everything.
5. Simmer fairly briskly covered for another 1/2 hour or until the potatoes, 2^nd carrot and the cabbage are done.
6. When they are done, turn off the heat.
7. Now is the time to make the mustard sauce.

Ingredients for the mustard sauce:

1. 3 Tblsp. butter
2. 2 Tblsp. flour
3. 1 Tsp. prepared mustard—which ever kind you wish
4. 1 C. of the tongue broth.

Instructions for the mustard sauce:

1. In a pan, over medium heat, melt the butter and stir in the flour till totally dissolved.
2. Add the prepared mustard and slowly add in the tongue broth.
3. Bring to a gentle boil and take off heat.  If there are still lumps in your sauce, strain it.
4. Serve in a gravy bowl for guests to pour for themselves or pre-plate for guests with the sauce over all.
5. 5.       Make sure to add more roughly chopped flat leaf Italian parsley to your servings.