| 1 | Rinse the tongue and then soak it in plenty of cold water for at least 12 hours. |
| 2 | Change the water once or more during this time. |
| 3 | Next day choose a heavy-based saucepan or flameproof casserole that will hold the tongue snugly. |
| 4 | Put the tongue into it, cover with cold water, bring to the boil and skim. |
| 5 | Taste the water; if it is very salty, tip it away, add fresh water and bring to the boil again. |
| 6 | Add the chopped vegetables, peppercorns and a bouquet of bay, parsley and rosemary. |
| 7 | Cover tightly and cook very gently on top of the stove or in an oven heated to 300°F (150 c) gas mark 2 for about 4 hours until the tongue is so tender that a skewer will go through the root end like butter. |
| 8 | Lower the temperature as necessary; the meat will be best if barely a bubble breaks the surface of the liquid as it cooks. |
| 9 | Skin the cooked tongue while it is still hot. |
| 10 | Then cut away the fat and gristle from the end and remove all small bones if the butcher has not already done this. |
| 11 | Skim off all the fat from the cooking liquor and save it for the sauce and for soups. |
| 12 | If the tongue is to be served hot, carve it in thin slices while it is still hot and arrange it prettily, overlapping slices like tiles, on a large warmed serving dish. |
| 13 | Pour some good hot sauce over it, cover the dish with foil and place in the oven for about 10 minutes to heat through. |
| 14 | The spiced kumquat sauce recipe is one of my favourites and i like to serve extra in a sauce boat. |
| 15 | If the tongue is to be served cold, mould and glaze it while still warm. |
| 16 | Curl the tongue to make it fit a small round container with straight sides. |
| 17 | Traditional tongue-presses usually measure about 5-6 inches in diameter; a cake tin or souffle dish of similar size will do just as well. |
| 18 | To glaze, melt 2 teaspoons gelatine powder in 1 tablespoon water, then blend in a scant ?pint tongue cooking liquor (seasoned and reduced as necessary for good flavour), and give it a little oomph with 1-2 tablespoons madeira. |
| 19 | Pour over the tongue as much of the liquid jelly as is needed to fill gaps. |
| 20 | Press the tongue down with a saucer or plate which fits just inside the tin, weight it down heavily and leave overnight in a cold larder until meat and jelly are set. |
| 21 | Chill any left-over jelly separately so that it can be diced and used to garnish the tongue when it is served. |
| 22 | Unmould the tongue on to a flat dish for serving. |
| 23 | Decorate it and accompany it with a fine sauce such as a classic cumberland sauce or piquant parsley and caper sauce. |
