Lengua Estofado

Lengua Estofado is a Filipino-Spanish ox tongue dish simmered until tender, then cooked in a savory tomato-based sauce with vegetables. This single-serving version is rich, hearty, and suited for a higher-budget home-cooked meal.

Estimated cost: ₱398–₱430

Total 150 min · Serves 1

Nutrition per serving: 586 kcal · 32 g protein · 29 g carbs · 38 g fat

Ingredients

• 180g ox tongue, cleaned and sliced
• 1/2 cup potato, cubed
• 1/3 cup carrot, sliced
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp green olives
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1 piece bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp, or to taste salt
• 3 cups for boiling, plus 1/4 cup for sauce water

Steps

1. Place the cleaned ox tongue in a small pot with 3 cups water, bay leaf, peppercorns, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer.
2. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the tongue is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork. Skim off any gray foam that rises during the first 10 minutes.
3. Remove the tongue from the broth and let it cool for 5 minutes. Peel off the tough outer skin while still warm, then slice the meat into serving pieces. Reserve 1/4 cup of the broth.
4. Heat cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes and carrots, then cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove and set aside.
5. In the same skillet, sauté garlic and onion over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant and the onion turns translucent.
6. Add the sliced ox tongue and sear for 1 minute per side, just until lightly browned.
7. Pour in the tomato sauce and reserved broth. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to dissolve any browned bits into the sauce.
8. Return the potatoes and carrots to the pan. Cover and simmer over low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
9. Add the green olives and simmer uncovered for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
10. Turn off the heat and rest for 3 minutes before serving so the sauce settles and clings better to the meat.

Prices are estimates based on Department of Agriculture price monitoring. Nutrition is estimated from ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central, FNRI).