Braised Venison Tongue

• 1-2, lamb or calf’s tongues
• 1 quart beef or venison stock
• 6-10 juniper berries
• 1 dried chile, broken in half
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, or a 4-inch piece of horseradish grated into a bowl with 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon water and a large pinch of salt.
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon or brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
• Salt
• Olive oil
• Cracker

1. Put the broth, juniper, bay, chile and the tongue into a pot and simmer gently for 2 hours.
2. Meanwhile, make the horseradish sauce. Mix the horseradish, mustard, sour cream and chives together well. Taste for salt and add some if needed. If you want it more horseradish-y, add more. Set aside in the fridge until the tongue is ready.
3. After about 2 hours, take the tongue out and let it cool a few minutes. Peel the skin off with your fingers or a paring knife and put the tongue back into the stock. Simmer for another hour, or until the tongue is easily pierced with the point of a knife.
4. Take the tongue out and slice it thin. While it is still warm, coat the slices with olive oil and set aside to cool.
5. When it’s cool, spoon a dab of the horseradish sauce on a cracker and top with a slice ot tongue. Serve cool or at room temperature