Lengua en salsa – beef tongue in red chilli sauce
Beef tongue simmered until tender with bay and allspice, then peeled, sliced and finished in a red sauce of tomato and guajillo chillies. Eaten with refried beans and corn tortillas. It is also made in green salsa, or Veracruz-style with olives and capers.
- 3 h 15Time
- 45 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 61 gprotein per portion
- 940kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 1Beef tongue
- ≈ 2.5 lWater
- ½Yellow onion, in one piece
- 4 clovesGarlic
- 3Bay leaves
- 5 berriesAllspice
- to tasteSalt
- 5Tomatoes
- 4Guajillo chiles
- 2 clovesGarlic, for the sauce
- ½Yellow onion, for the sauce
- 1 mlCumin
- 2 tbspRapeseed oil
On the side
- 450 gRefried beans
- 12Corn tortillas
Method
- Scrub the tongue well under running water. Put it in a large pot with the water, the piece of onion, the garlic, bay leaves, allspice and some salt. Bring to the boil and skim.
- Cover and simmer the tongue over a low heat for about 2½ hours, until a fork slides easily into the thickest part.
- Meanwhile, remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo chillies. Simmer them with the tomatoes in a little water for 10 minutes, until soft.
- Drain and blend the chillies and tomatoes with the garlic, onion, cumin and 250 ml of the broth from the tongue until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a wide casserole over a medium heat, strain in the sauce and let it fry for 5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens. Season with salt and take off the heat.
- Lift out the tongue and peel off the thick skin while it is still hot, using a knife to help. Trim off the rough part at the back.
- Cut the tongue into 1 cm slices.
- Add the slices to the sauce, loosen it with a little broth if it is too thick and simmer over a low heat for 15 minutes so the meat takes on the flavour.
- Meanwhile, warm the refried beans in a small pan and the tortillas in a dry frying pan.
- Serve the tongue with plenty of sauce, the beans and the warm tortillas.
