Goat or Lamb Tongue Salad with Salsa Verde

After cooking, lamb and goat tongues get very tender and are great in places where you would use cooked meat like ham: especially in things like salads and sandwiches. Here Chef simmers them in a fragrant vegetable stock before slicing and laying on a bed of fresh greens with a tangy herb salsa verde dressing and a colorful garnish of fresh wildflowers.

TFor the salad, chef uses a blend of tender, young wild greens goats might like to eat, like chickweed, ground elder, and watercress, along with a few leaves of wild mint. The greens and herbs can be whatever you have available, but a mix of tender young salad-ready leaves like lettuces, watercress, or others are just fine.

The salsa verde is a tart, herby sauce made from herbs, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Chef uses some wild oregano (Bergamot / Monarda fistulosa) but oregano or cilantro will work just fine too. As it’s hard to make less than about 2 cups of salsa verde, know that the leftover sauce doubles as a great condiment for grilled meats and vegetables, and just about anything else you’d like to put it on.

This recipe is by Chef Alan Bergo, the Forager Chef. A chef from Minnesota, Alan is a culinary industry veteran, former executive chef of acclaimed Lucia’s Restaurant, and the Salt Cellar. Author of The Forager Chef’s Book of Flora, he’s one of the most respected voices in the world of foraging and wild food. He’s best known as the founder of Forager Chef, his website focused on wild ingredients that reaches millions of readers each year. Learn more about Chef Alan and his hunt for mushrooms, wild and obscure foods at foragerchef.com. 

Looking to buy lamb or goat online? Shepherd Song Farm: Grass to table. We raise lambs & goats traditionally, humanely and sustainably. 100% Grass Fed, Pasture Raised, Never Confined, no Hormones, Grains or Animal Byproducts. Born, raised and processed in the U.S.A. Good for you and good for the environment.

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Goat Tongue Salad with Herb Salsa Verde

Tender cooked goat or lamb tongues with a tangy herb sauce makes for a nice light entree or lunch.

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Goat Tongue, Lamb Tongue, Salsa verde, Wildflowers

Ingredients

Tongues

• 3 goat or lamb tongues
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Aromatic vegetables
• 1 small carrot
• 1/2 a small onion
• 1 rib celery
• A few slices of fresh ginger
• 1 large clove garlic
• 8 cups of water separated in half

Salad and herbs

• 6 oz salad greens * see note
• Fresh soft herbs like mint, cilantro, basil, chives, etc
• 1 recipe wild oregano sauce * see recipe or just olive oil and lemon juice
• Wildflowers to garnish, optional
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste, optional
• Fresh lemon wedges for serving
• Sumac to garnish, optional

Instructions

Cook the tongues

• Put the tongues in a small pot, cover with half the water, bring to a boil, then discard the water, add the vegetables and wine, along with the remaining water, cover bring to a brisk simmer and cook, covered for 2 hours, or until the tongues are tender when pierced with a knife.

Peel the tongues

• Remove the tongues to a bowl, rinse with warm water until you can handle them, then transfer to a cutting board and peel. After peeling, cut the tongues into ¼ inch slices and reserve.

Assembling and serving

• To assemble the salad, mix the greens and herbs together in a bowl, then arrange between large dinner plates. Divide the slices of tongue equally between the plates, sprinkle each slices lightly with salt, sumac and pepper, then spoon some of the herb sauce over everything. Garnish with the wildflowers if using and serve.

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