When my father-in-law travels to Iran, we are the beneficiaries. He often brings us large bags of pistacios and tiny sacks of saffron (and if my husband is lucky, a box of gaz – Persian nougat with pistacios). Over the years, I’ve grown to love the flavor of saffon. Too much and it’s almost metallic, too little and you’ll miss the essence of it. But saffron adds such earthy-sweet, delicious flavor to dishes that I knew from this start that Saffron-Spiced Tongue would be great.
It Takes Guts
This recipe is adapted from Tongue in Tomato Saffron Sauce in Ashleigh VanHouten‘s user-friendly guide to offal – It Takes Guts. A friend gifted me this book in 2020 and when I saw the preface by the esteemed Tara Couture of Slow Down Farmstead, I was sold. This is probably my favorite recipe in the book; it’s definitely the one I’ve made the most!
I love the idea of this cookbook! In it, VanHouten collects a series of recipes from friends and colleagues. She guarantees that they are all simple and delicious. Then collates them into a handy manual for adding nutrient-density into your family’s diet.
It’s no nonsense, practical, and the recipes work. I don’t often do desserts (with one recent exception 😉), but VanHouten includes them – and we’ve enjoyed a few!
Saffron-Spiced Tongue
I love this Saffron-Spiced Tongue recipe because of the familiar flavors of the seasoning. In addition to the saffron, the dish has tangy, bitter flavors are familiar to most Persian dishes. In this case, fresh squeezed lemon juice and dried omami lemon powder. Omami lemons (actually dried limes) are sold in Middle Eastern groceries and can be omitted if you don’t have access to them.
Omami lemons, or dried limes
For the tongue, you’ll want to prepare it in advance by simmering for several hours and then peeling. This can be done a day or three in advance, with the tongue reserved in its broth. After that, the recipe comes together quickly for a weeknight dinner.
Finally, you don’t need to pan-fry the tongue slices before adding to the sauce, but we love the way that the crispy edges give way to a tender center. Yum! To round out your Persian meal, consider some of these other favorites: Tripe Dolmas and Sumac Brain Fritters. Enjoy!
Saffron-spiced tongue
Ingredients
For the tongue
- Beef tongue
- 1T black peppercorns
- 1T cardamom pods
- 3 bay leaves
For the dish
- 4T butter, divided
- 1/2 onion, sliced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup gelatinous bone broth with 1/4 t vinegar
- 1 28oz canned crushed tomatoes
- juice of 2 lemons
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T honey (or date syrup, if you have)
- 2t ground omami lemons (optional, if available)
- 1/2 t saffron threads
- salt
- pepper
- 1/3 cup reserved tongue broth
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
For the tongue
- Cover tongue with 1-2" water and bring to a boil. Skim any foam, add peppercorns, cardamom and bay leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Check for a strong simmer, skimming again if needed, and cook for 3 hours. Remove tongue (reserve broth). Rinse in cold water and peel outer membrane/skin off by making a slice into membrane and peeling back. Reserve peeled tongue in its broth for up to 3 days in the fridge.
For the dish
- Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add half the butter. When melted, add onion slices and saute until soft, about 6 minutes. Then add bell pepper slices and saute until soft, about 3 more minutes. Add broth with vinegar to deglaze the pan.
- Add canned tomatoes to pan, along with lemon juice, honey, omami lemon, saffron, salt, pepper and tongue broth. Allow the sauce to simmer for another 20 minutes to desired consistency.
- Meanwhile, slice tongue and use the other two tablespoons of butter to pan-fry the slices, seasoning as you go.
- Serve tongue in bowls with the saffron sauce over the top, and garnished with parsley.
Hi Janin, was at it again😜
Got a waterbuffalo tongue, 2 lb, and made this recipe. Well. The 2nd half.
Being a rebel, I did the tongue in the IP for 45 minutes in 2 cups water w the spices.
Cooked to perfection. I had some Moroccan saffron a friend gifted me. I added some extra veggies. Like mushrooms and fresh scapes.
The dish brought back memories from Spain, that’s how it tasted. It was yummy.
Have tongue leftover. Used some for my summer salad with a hint of Dijon mustard.
Going to order more tongue and heart at my fav farm, and also want to try cheeks.
PS… I got the Offal Good cookbook from the library, but way too complicated and large meals. I prefer your content and choices 🙌💕
Saskia – Thank you for sharing with me!
I don’t have an instapot and I do get requests for timing. This is so helpful for me and other readers!
Sounds like a beautiful preparation 🙂
Yes, the Offal Good book is beautiful and has some useful details for rare cuts, but the preparations are a bit more culinary and less day-to-day. I’m so glad this site has been useful to you!
Keep at it – I’ll look forward to what cut and recipe you experiment with next!
Warmly,
Janine
Sure!
We loved this! I used a bison tongue since I’ve been successful swapping that out for cow elsewhere, and it was perfect with no alteration to the instructions
Hey Natalie,
That’s awesome – sounds so good! Thanks for sharing. Cheers to you nourishing yourself and your family!
xo
Janine
Hello all,
You lucky people!
I don’t do jealousy but there is some envy here!
I doubt I could get Bison or Waterbuffalo steak here, never mind tongue.
Still, I can wish but our own native animals here in Britain are very tasty and I do believe in shopping locally.
It’s good to see that people across the globe, particularly the western half starting to take nose-to-tail cookery seriously. Our Eastern friends have been doing for millennia. Indeed in Britain, Offal was much more widely cooked and consumed right up until the 1950’s. Even later in the North of England where I come from but sadly not any more.
Paul:-)
Paul, thanks for sharing! Of course you can use any tongue for this recipe – the seasonings are delightful regardless. Yes, I’ve read about the tripe shops closing in the UK and it’s a shame to see the best parts going to the wayside culturally. In the meantime, I definitely appreciate all of the culinary history in the UK (and the whole of Europe, and all traditional peoples… the more I learn). Thank you so much for sharing some of this on my site. I am so glad you are here!
Warmly,
Janine