PICKLED WAGYU tongue
with Mushrooms à la Grecque and Shaved Foie Gras

PICKLED WAGYU TONGUE

1 fresh Wagyu beef tongue

2 litres (4¼ pints) red wine

1 litre (2¼ pints) ruby port

100 g (3½ oz) salt

200 ml (7 fl oz) cabernet vinegar

200 ml (7 fl oz) sherry vinegar

1 head garlic

1 medium carrot

1 medium onion

2 sticks celery

4 sprigs rosemary

6 sprigs thyme

8 juniper berries, crushed

12 peppercorns

2 bay leaves

TO SERVE

handful frisée, golden leaves from the centre

Mushrooms à la Grecque

200 g (7 oz) cooked foie gras, shaved

fleur de sel

freshly ground pepper

You need to pickle the tongue a few days before you want to serve it. The flavours develop dramatically over this time and you end up with a wonderful harmony between the rich, earthy flavour of the tongue and the sweet acidity of the pickling liquor.

TO PICKLE THE TONGUE, rinse it under cold running water then pat dry and set aside in a deep dish. Put all the remaining pickling ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes then lower the heat and allow to cool slightly. While the pickling liquor is still fairly hot, pour it over the tongue so that it is almost completely submerged. Cool to room temperature then cover with cling film and refrigerate for 2 days.

TO POACH THE TONGUE, put it into a large heavy-based saucepan together with the pickling liquor and all the aromatics. Bring to a gentle simmer then cover with a piece of greaseproof paper cut to the size of the pan. Poach very gently for 3 hours until the tongue is very tender. Remove the tongue from the poaching liquor and leave to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skin and return it to the poaching liquor. Refrigerate until cold – the liquor will set into a jelly around it.

TO SERVE, slice the chilled tongue lengthwise into 10 even slices. Warm them through very gently in a little of the pickling liquor. Toss the frisée leaves with a few tablespoons of the mushrooms à la grecque dressing. Arrange the tongue slices on each serving plate and scatter over the mushrooms, shavings of foie gras and some frisée leaves. Season lightly and serve.

Serves 10 as an entrée