Credit: Ed Anderson
Lingua in Salsa Verde (Roman Tongue with Parsley-Garlic Sauce)
Beef tongue: 1 (2 lbs)
Sea salt
Carrot: 1 (halved)
Celery stalk: 1 (halved)
Yellow onion: 1 (halved)
Bay leaf: 1
Whole black peppercorns: 10
Dry white wine: 1 cup
Leaves of flat-leaf parsley: 2 bunches (finely chopped)
Garlic clove: 1/2
Oil-packed anchovy fillets: 3 (drained and finely chopped)
Salted capers: 2 tbsp (rinsed and finely chopped)
White wine vinegar: 2 tbsp
Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp
A cornerstone of old-school Roman home cooking, lingua in salsa verde transforms humble beef tongue into something silky and elegant with a sharp, herb-packed sauce.
Excerpted from Rome: A Culinary History, Cookbook, and Field Guide to the Flavors that Built a City by Katie Parla. Reprinted by permission of Parla Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Boiled meat might not get the glory elsewhere, but in Rome, it’s always had a seat at the table, especially when it comes to tongue. Lingua in salsa verde takes this humble quinto quarto cut and transforms it with a blast of sharp, herbaceous flavor. The salsa verde here isn’t the breadcrumb-thickened Piedmontese version; it’s a leaner, punchier Roman take, with parsley, capers, anchovies, and vinegar pulling more than their weight. Tongue, still a staple at the city’s butcher stalls, becomes silky and tender after a long simmer, and when sliced and drenched in this sauce, it’s anything but boring. This is old-school Roman home cooking: simple, thrifty, and absolutely not afraid of offal. Just be sure you start a day ahead: The tongue needs a good salting before it hits the pot.
- Season the tongue generously with salt.
- Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the tongue from the refrigerator and place it in a large pot with cold water to cover.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
- Skim off any foam that rises to the surface.
- After about 30 minutes, once the foam subsides, add the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, peppercorns, and white wine.
- Continue simmering until the tongue is very tender and the outer skin peels away easily, 2 ½ to 3 ½ hours.
- Remove from heat and let the tongue cool in its cooking liquid.
- In a medium bowl, combine the parsley, garlic, anchovies, capers, vinegar, olive oil, and a heavy pinch of salt.
- Adjust with more vinegar as needed for balance.
- Remove the tongue from the pot.
- Peel and discard the skin, trimming away any gristly bits or glands from the underside.
- Slice crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices.
- Arrange slices on a platter and spoon the salsa verde generously over the top.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
