Technically this isn’t a seasonal dish, but what could be more suitable for Valentine’s Day than a paprikash of hearts and tongues!
Ingredients:
Serves 4
This is a classic from the Eastern European repertoire, and could easily be made with plain pork (for example, cubes of boned shoulder). But for me it really comes into its own as a preparation for offal – which I’m assured by a Hungarian friend is also authentic. The last time I took two lambs to slaughter, I made it with their hearts, tongues and a bit of their liver and thought it was outstanding.
You could make this dish with any one of the main ingredients listed below but the combination is particularly exciting if, like me, you’re a big offal fan. Lamb’s tongues are often available in Halal butchers, but any good butcher should be able to get them to order. All the offal should be scrupulously fresh.
Don’t stint on the onions. They melt down during the long, slow cooking to form a rich, unctuous sauce. Some would say that the inclusion of tomatoes is inauthentic, but I have tried it with and without and I prefer it with.
2 hearts (lamb’s or pig’s)
4 lamb’s tongues (if available)
500g liver (lamb’s or pig’s)
2 tablespoons lard (or olive oil)
1kg white onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (if available, otherwise another tablespoon of sweet)
2 teaspoons hot paprika
3 tablespoons sieved roast tomatoes (page 00), or 1 scant tablespoon concentrated tomato purée plus a little water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To finish, and accompany:
Soured cream
Large, floury potatoes
Butter.
Cut the hearts in half lengthways and rinse well in cold water, then pat dry. Scrub and rinse the tongues and pat dry. Trim any coarse sinews off the liver and cut it into 4 equal pieces.
Melt half the lard in a heavy casserole and add the onions. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until they are nicely softened and translucent. Add all the paprika, stir in well and cook for a couple more minutes.
Heat the rest of the lard in a separate pan and brown all the offal pieces in it for just a few minutes, turning occasionally to colour them all over. Then add them to the onions, along with the sieved tomatoes and a small glass of water. Bring to a very gentle simmer and put on the lid. Cook over the lowest possible heat or in a very low oven (120°C/Gas Mark 1/2) for at least 2 hours, until all the meats are completely tender. Check occasionally, turning the meat and adding a little water if it looks dry.
When the meats are cooked, replace the pot over a very low heat, if it was in the oven, with the lid removed. Take out the tongues and as soon as they are cool enough to handle, carefully peel off the coarse outer skin. Return the peeled tongues to the pot. Check the consistency of the sauce; it should be thick, unctuous and pulpy. If necessary, cook it for a few more minutes. Adjust the seasoning as necessary. You could finish the dish by stirring in a spoonful of soured cream or you could, as I prefer to do, just take the soured cream to the table to serve with it.
Accompany either with mash or, more authentically, large floury potatoes boiled in their skins. Have soured cream for the paprikash and butter for the potatoes on the table.
(Featured on the second programme from the "Beyond River Cottage" series, this recipe is taken from the River Cottage Meat Book)