Beef Tongue with Caper Sauce

Instructions

1. Prepare the tongue
   Rinse the beef tongue thoroughly under cold water. Place it in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the tongue, discard the water, and rinse the tongue again.
2. Slow cook the tongue
   Return the tongue to the clean pot and add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover with fresh cold water by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 3-3.5 hours, or until the tongue is very tender when pierced with a fork.
3. Peel and slice the tongue
   Remove the tongue from the cooking liquid (reserve 1 1/2 cups for the sauce). While still hot, peel off the outer skin - it should slide off easily. If it doesn't, the tongue may need more cooking time. Once peeled, let the tongue cool slightly, then slice into 1/4-inch thick slices.
4. Prepare the caper sauce base
   In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously for 2-3 minutes to make a roux. The mixture should be blonde in color but not brown.
5. Finish the caper sauce
   Gradually whisk in the reserved cooking liquid, bringing the sauce to a simmer between additions. Continue cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Stir in the capers, lemon juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve
   Arrange the sliced tongue on a serving platter. Pour some of the caper sauce over the top and serve the remaining sauce on the side. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.