Moose tongue tacos recipe from Philippe April-Le Quéré

Discover a new way to enjoy game meat with moose tongue tacos from Philippe April-Le Quéré!

This recipe reinvents a Mexican classic by incorporating the richness and tenderness of moose tongue. Slowly simmered with aromatic spices, this tender meat is enhanced by fresh pico de gallo and a creamy avocado crema. Perfect for game lovers and curious people looking for new flavors

Ingredients

Tongue and broth

• 1 moose tongue (about 3 pounds), cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces
• 1 large onion
• 2 dried guajillo peppers (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried mint
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 whole head of garlic, cut in half

Taco Spice

• 1/2 tsp. teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt

Pico de gallo (or substitute for the sauce)

• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into small cubes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Avocado Cream

• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and skinless
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp. tablespoon of fresh coriander

The tacos

• 12 soft tortillas (corn or flour)
• 2 cups iceberg lettuce, cut into small strips

Preparation

1. Remove any gray or fatty skin from the moose tongue. Add all ingredients from the “tongue and broth” section to a large saucepan and cover with water (you can use half water, half moose/beef broth). Bring to a boil. Then reduce the temperature and cover to simmer for 3 hours.
2. Once the three hours are up, remove the tongue from the water. Peel the skin from the tongue while it is still warm. Next, cut the tongue meat into 1/3-inch cubes. Toss the tongue cubes with the taco spice ingredients until completely coated.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, coat the bottom of the pan with vegetable oil and place the tongue cubes in the pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
4. Prepare the pico de gallo by mixing all the pico de gallo ingredients. (Can be done before grabbing the language cubes)
5. Prepare the crema by blending all the crema ingredients in a blender until smooth. (Can be done before grabbing the language cubes)
6. Cook the soft tortillas as directed on the package (15 seconds in the microwave, or 30 seconds on each side in a pan over medium heat, oiled pan for the corn tortillas).
7. Assemble the tacos by putting a generous amount of tongue cubes in the middle of the taco, then the cream, lettuce and garnish with pico de gallo. Now, enjoy your meal!