Lengua a la Vinagreta (Beef Tongue Vinaigrette)

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             FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Anna Welander of Uppsala, Sweden for sending us this
exercise program that even I might be able to stick with:

Exercise - Calories burned per hour

Beating around the bush -75
Jumping to conclusions - 100
Climbing the walls - 150
Swallowing your pride - 50
Passing the buck - 25
Throwing your weight around (depending on your
weight) - 50 - 300
Dragging your heels - 100
Pushing your luck - 250
Making mountains out of molehills - 500
Hitting the nail on the head - 50
Wading through paperwork - 300
Bending over backwards - 75
Jumping on the bandwagon - 200
Balancing the books - 25
Running around in circles - 350
Eating crow - 225
Tooting your own horn - 25
Climbing the ladder of success - 750
Pulling out all the stops - 75
Adding fuel to the fire - 160
Wrapping it up at the day's end - 12

To which you may want to add your own favorite activities,
including:

Opening a can of worms - 50
Putting your foot in your mouth -300
Starting the ball rolling - 90
Going over the edge - 25
Picking up the pieces - 350

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             TODAY'S RECIPE
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As my long-time readers already know, in my family the birthday boy
(or girl, although women are a very small minority in my family) gets
to pick the menu for their birthday dinner. This Friday my father
celebrates his 75th birthday, and he has requested a Uruguayan
"parrillada," or mixed grill. I'll tell you more about it as the week
rolls along, but for now all you need to know is that Uruguay is the
world's largest per-capita consumer of beef, and this meal is a real
belt-stretcher. Here are the recipes I'll be sharing with you this
week:

Monday's Starter
Lengua a la Vinagreta (Beef Tongue Vinaigrette)

Tuesday's Soup or Salad
Ensalada Rusa (Uruguayan Potato Salad)

Wednesday's Entree
Mixed Grill Part 1 - Rinones y Mollejas (Kidneys and Sweetbreads)

Thursday's Entree
Mixed Grill Part 2 - Chorizos Uruguayos (Uruguayan Sausages)

Friday's Dessert
Queso con Dulce (Cheese and Sweet)

Although this dish isn't an integral part of the classic Uruguayan
parrillada, you'll find it on virtually every menu in Uruguay and
Argentina. Many restaurants pride themselves on the number of tongue
dishes on the buffet, and it isn't uncommon to see it prepared five or
six different ways. Here is one of my family's favorites:

Lengua a la Vinagreta (Beef Tongue Vinaigrette)

1 beef tongue
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, quartered
2 bay (laurel) leaves
10 whole black peppercorns
3/4 cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
1 Tbs (15 ml) Dijon-style mustard
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped or pressed
through a coarse sieve
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the tongue, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, and
peppercorns in a large pot and add enough water to cover by about 2
inches (5 cm). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to
low and simmer covered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the tongue and
discard the liquid and vegetables. Peel off and discard the skin.
Slice the tongue into thin slices and arrange on a serving platter.
Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and mustard. Stir in the
chopped egg, salt, and pepper and spoon the sauce over the tongue.
Let the tongue marinate covered in the refrigerator for at least 3
hours or overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature. Serves 8 to
12 as an appetizer.
Received on Mon Nov 24 02:31:15 2003