Persian Beef Tongue Sandwich 

Ingredients List: – 1 whole beef tongue – 2 Onion – 2 cloves of Garlic – 2 Tomatoes – 220 grams (half a pound) of white mushrooms – Several pickled cucumbers – 1 teaspoon salt – 1/2 teaspoon black pepper – 1/4 teaspoon turmeric – 1 cinnamon stick – Few lettuce leaves – 2 Bay leaves – Choice of sandwich bread Serving Size = 4-5 people

1. Make the brine: In a large pot add the 4 liters of water, sugar, salt, onion, garlic, and spices. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat. Remove brine from the stove and let it cool down completely.
2. Prepare and brine the tongue: whilst the brine is cooling down, place your ox’s tongue inside a clean sink and vigorously scrub the outside of the tongue under cold running water to clean it. Fill the sink with fresh, cold water and leave the tongue inside until the brine has completely cooled down (this can take about 2 hours). When the brine is cold, transfer it to a large enough plastic, or glass container. Place the tongue inside and weigh it down with a plate on top to keep the tongue completely submerged. Brine the tongue in the refrigerator for 20 up to 24 hours.
3. Cooking the tongue: remove the tongue from the brine and place it into a large pot. Add about 0.5l of the brine and all of the spices, onion and garlic from the brine to the pot. Add 4 liters of fresh water, or enough to fully submerge the tongue. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for at least 4 hours up to 6 hours, until the meat is tender (pierce it with a skewer to test). Add water if and when needed for the tongue to stay submerged.
4. Peeling the tongue: when the tongue has cooked, remove it from the pot and let it cool until safe to touch. While the tongue is still warm, peel away the rough outer skin, which should have already come loose somewhat. Use a small knife if necessary, but be careful not to damage the meat too much.
5. Chilling the tongue: wrap the tongue tightly in plastic wrap and let it cool down in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Cooling the tongue makes it easier to cut into slices for sandwiches.
6. To serve: the tongue can be sliced and eaten cold, or can be cut into 1cm thick slices and quickly browned on each side in a pan with a little bit of butter – a quick fry makes them instantly regain their juicy and soft texture! For tongue sandwiches, layer some slices of tongue on a piece of bread and use your favourite toppings and condiments. I suggest some mustard, a thinly-sliced dill pickle and some radish.