Have I told you about the time I cooked lamb tongue?

It's true. I did. At a work function for Gabe's company I challenged Jack the farmer from our protein CSA to a duel between farm and kitchen. We received pork hocks... nailed it. Beef bacon... LOVE it. We've yet to find rocky mountain oysters... fine by me. But the day the lamb tongues arrived, I knew I had met my match. Don't get me wrong, lamb is delicious, in chop form, as a kabob, rolled up in grape leaves steamed and devoured. But their tongues? Seriously Jack?

That is what you think. Okay maybe not that.

After getting over the fact that the white wrapped package contained food that Gabe joked would "taste us back." I set to the web for help. How do I prepare these oddities? I quickly learned that tongue was quite the delicacy and would have its own texture and flavor profile like nothing I'd ever eaten. Unlike brain which upon sampling I decided quickly was NOT on my "To-be-eaten-again" list. With a recipe on my laptop screen, ingredients purchased, and lamb tongues still dressed in the white butcher paper (Can you tell I was putting off the inevitable?) I set to showing Jack, Gabe, well let's be honest really myself, that I could handle this kitchen challenge.

After boiling in the "herb bath"

Here we go...

But the reality is, they are seriously tongues. With taste buds. And the muscle that connected it to a cute... fuzzy... little... *gulp* lamb! Of all the steps in the process the worst was removing the taste buds. Sure it is just like taking a sock off a baby, or peeling a banana, or ripping taste buds off of a lambs tongue you fools!

Sautéing with Purple Kale

Shallots, Garlic, Bacon, & Tongue

After that 10 minutes of my life was marked directly onto my brain for later instant recall (and possible gag reflex,) I was able to treat the tongue for what it was, food. Chopping, simmering, and sautéing helped ease me back into the rhythm of cooking that soothes me. Voila dinner is served. Gabe (who only experienced the process when I put one of the tongues next to his ear as he worked on his computer) thoroughly enjoyed the meal, only adding Sriracha after the first few bites and acknowledging the hard work of the English Style herb bouquet in the dish's flavor. Yeah right. He has no ideas what any of that means and just likes food that slaps him in the taste buds. Too soon for tongue jokes? I, on the other hand, couldn't quite get past all I had to do to get this meal in a bowl. I did my best, and Gabe got all the leftovers.

The End Result

That being said, we recently had a delicious and dare I say insanely expensive meal out that included many cuts of lamb, and tongue was involved. I ate it (working hard to push that instant recall photo memory far far away) and yes, it had its own unique flavor, melted in my mouth, and was...*gasp* delicious. It is true.

If you ever find yourself with this cooking challenge, I recommend the following recipe from Nose To Tail At Home.com Lamb Tongues, Turnips, & Bacon and will personally be trying this recipe for Tongue Tacos the next time they show up in my kitchen.