Hatch Chile Verde con Lengua

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This recipe is very traditional in Mexico and I’m taking advantage to kick it up a notch by using Hatch chile that are now in season.

Mexicans consume more beef tongue than they produce in their own country so they import large quantities from the US. Americans don’t consume much tongue so Mexico is happy to buy our excess supply. Yet, tongue is a spectacular cut of meat. Tender, juicy and subtly beefy, it’s a common sight in Jewish delis and taco trucks, but not so much in the culinary mainstream. See my other tongue recipes.

Garbanzo con Lengua, Lengua & Andouille Gumbo

Let’s get started..

Ingredients

Serves 4

Tongue seasoning

1 beef tongue (about 3 lbs)

½ large onion

2 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon salt

Chile verde sauce

1 lb tomatillo roasted

1 cup hatch chiles, roasted and chopped, about 4

½ medium red bell pepper roasted and chopped

1 cup packed cilantro

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon oregano

3-4 cups water or chicken stock, low sodium preferred

1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Salt

1 ½ lb slices of tongue

Garnish

Avocado slices

Cilantro

Tongue preparation

In a large pot, place the tongue and seasoning listed above. Add enough water to cover the tongue, bring it to a boil and simmer for 2-3 hours. Remove the tongue allow it to cool some and peel off the white coating and set aside. When the tongue is cool enough to handle, trim the back end and set that aside for taco meat. From the tip to back, slice 1 ½ pounds of tongue in ¼ inch thick slices.

Roasting chile

Roasting under a broiler in the following manner:

•Cut the top from the pepper

•Slice the pepper in half, lengthwise

•Scrape out the seeds

•Lay peppers skin side up on a baking sheet

•Roast until skins blister and char

•Place roasted peppers in a bowl and cover with a plastic bag until cool then peel

•Set aside.

Tomatillos and red pepper

Set your oven to broil. Wash tomatillos and place in oven broiler. Flip them when they are charing and do the other side. Put them in a ziploc bag to steam for 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos,

cilantro and 1 cup water to a blender, liquify and set aside. Chop the red bell pepper and set aside.

Chile Verde

Heat 1 ½ tablespoon oil in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion for 4 minutes, add the minced garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the pureed tomatillos, chopped bell pepper and 2 cups of water or chicken broth. Add cumin and oregano. If necessary thin the sauce with to your liking. Cook for 15 minutes at low-medium heat.

Salt to taste. Combine slices of tongue in the sauce. Sprinkle with leaves of cilantro. Plate bowls of chile verde and optionally garnished with slices of avocado and cilantro. Serve warm with flour or corn tortillas.

Note

“Hatch” chile is synonymous to Anahiem-like chile varieties grown in the state of New Mexico. Hatch is the name of a small town in New Mexico around where much of this crop is cultivated. Though New Mexican chile is grown throughout the Rio Grande valley, the Hatch valley is thought of as the Napa valley of chile. These hot peppers are produced in grades of mild, mild/medium, medium/hot and extra hot. Hatch peppers are now distributed nationally. so check out your super, and you just might find them in August-October. You may also find these roasted in cans and non-refrigerated packaging.

Buen provecho!!

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