Tongue in Wine Sauce

by Daniel Rogov

1 pickled beef tongue, about 2 kgs.
3 cups beef stock
8 bay leaves
10 whole peppercorns
2 tsp. dill
1 cup port wine
1 Tbsp. parve margarine
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 Tbsp. cornflour

Remove the fatty end of the tongue (and reserve for future use in soup or stew). Place the tongue in a large kettle, add the stock and then add enough water to cover. Add 5 of the bay leaves, the peppercorns and the dill. Bring to a boil, reduce the flame and cook until the tongue is soft (about 2 hours). Peel under cold running water and let cool.

In a saucepan, boil the wine with the remaining bay leaves until the wine is reduced by half. Remove from the flame, add the margarine and the paprika, mixing well. While the sauce is still hot, sprinkle over the cornflour, mix well and continue to mix until the sauce thickens. Slice the tongue thinly and heat the slices in the sauce. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

Daniel Rogov is the restaurant and wine critic for the daily newspaper Ha'aretz. He is also the senior writer for Wine and Gourmet Magazine and contributes culinary and wine articles to newspapers in Europe and the United States.