Spiced Tongue

Ingredients

• Fresh tongue
• Salt
• Sodium nitrate
• 1 tablespoon of allspice
• 1 tablespoon of cloves and nutmeg
• 1 lemon peel, grated
• 1 teaspoon of ginger
• Ditto [same as above] of thyme
• Ditto of summer savory 
• Piece of a lemon
• 1 ounce of suet
• Pepper

Directions

1. Corn [preserve with salt] a fresh tongue for 2 days, with salt and a little sodium nitrate mixed; then lay it on one side and bore holes with a steel used for knives.
2. Stuff the holes with a mixture of 1 tablespoon each of allspice, cloves and nutmeg, 1 lemon peel, grated, 1 teaspoon ginger, ditto of thyme, ditto of summer savory, a piece of lemon, 1 ounce of suet, chopped fine, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place in a dish and then under a heavy press for 24 hours; then add water to its own brine, and boil until it will skin, cut off its roots evenly.
4. Begin at the small end to roll; bandage very tightly; stuff paste into the middle, then boil 3 hours, and when done place under heavy press again.

Source — Creole Cookery Book
Prepared by Elizabeth McDaniel
Louisiana Anthology
December 15, 2019