Category: The mighty organs

Sunday tartine: jambon de langue de cochon/ pork’s tongue ham

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After the Taste of Brussels event yesterday (more to come on that soon), I just felt the need to come back to reality, where us, mere-mortals still enjoy the pleasure of the flesh, with impunity. What better place to surround myself with beautiful pieces of pork, veal, beef, ham, sausages & co. than my lovely butcher, M. Gaston? My week-end shopping list included 200gr préparé and a 800gr roti de porc/ pork shoulder (a wonderfully-fatty piece, now marinating in olive oil, smoked paprika, fresh rosemary & crushed garlic). To my surprise, something caught my eye: next to the tête préssée, a bit lonely and distinct: the pork’s tongue ham. I immediately asked M. Didier about it and he confirmed, then I proceeded to tell him about my love affair with pig’s tongue (while my man was telling him about pigs slaughtering in Romania). We ate the fresh préparé yesterday and I saved the best for last.

My Sunday tartine: dark bread + whole grain mustard + tongue ham + green & red pepper + home-grown ruccola. 

Pork tongue, leeks & black olives stew

limba

Do you remember these? Well, here’s the recipe; this is an article I wrote a while back: luckily, because my awful cold is still here to stay. (Man, how I hate summer colds!!!). Anyway…

First of all, please let me say I KNOW tongue is not an organ…but it does fall nicely into this category, doesn’t it? Tongue is a muscle, so if you like that lean filet, chances are you’ll love tongue, as it is a trillion times better. Most of the times, people eat beef or veal tongue, but pork is also very good. You’ll surely find this delicacy in halal butcheries; the ones around Jeu de Balle have it most of the times. It’s fresh, good and waiting for you to take it home.

Now, how can I describe tongue to someone who’s never had it before? I think the most striking thing about is, without doubt, the texture. It’s soft & creamy and a bit chewy and if you know how to (don’t) trim it properly you’ll be in for a treat. The taste is beefy or porky, but rather delicate.

There are many ways to cook tongue and the one that I’m gonna share with you is my least favorite one (still freaking delicious)…but it’s the only way my man likes it and I hear one needs to sometimes compromise in a relationship. Read More

Liver delight

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I have decided to start the “Organs series” with something that even the most squeamish of you have probably eaten and enjoyed, one way or another. Baby steps, baby steps… So let’s talk about LIVER. Growing up, liver was a seldom treat, because when you hack an animal, there’s only one liver to grab…luckily, I am an only child and the liver came to me, most of the times. Later on, my mom stared making liver paté and that was one of my favorite things as a kid. Now, my mom is not a great cook, but liver paté…she nailed it every single time! Will ask her the secret recipe and promise to share with you.

What do you need to know before attacking this luscious, slippery thing? Liver needs to be fresh (well, like most things, but even more so) and you have to soak it in milk, ideally over night. The most common livers (!?!) are veal, beef, pork and chicken, but not all livers (OK, have decided this is an acceptable plural) are created equal. Read More