Stuffed Sweetbreads Food

WINE SAUCE FOR SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Cook the flour in the melted butter in a frying pan, whisking often, until a golden blonde color. Set aside.
• Reduce red wine by half in a 1-quart pot over medium heat, then set aside.
• Melt remaining tablespoon butter in a small saute pan over medium heat, then add chopped mushrooms, garlic, onions, peppers and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Let vegetables cool for a couple of minutes, then add them to a food processor and liquify as much as possible, adding 1/4 cup beef broth if the vegetables become too sticky. Transfer back to the pan and add the reduced wine, then add the remaining 2 3/4 cups beef broth and bring back to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat and thicken with the roux until the sauce is as thick as you would like it to be. Add the sliced mushrooms, salt and black pepper to taste, then simmer for 2 additional minutes.

VEGETABLE-STUFFED LOIN OF VEAL WITH SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Prepare sweetbreads:
• Soak sweetbreads in a large bowl of ice and cold water in the refrigerator, changing water occasionally (2 or 3 times), at least 8 hours. Drain sweetbreads and transfer to a 4-quart heavy saucepan. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until sweetbreads plump and feel slightly firmer to the touch, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and transfer to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking. Cut away any fat and pull away as much membrane and connective tissue as possible with a small paring knife without breaking up sweetbreads.
• Arrange sweetbreads in 1 layer in a baking dish, then cover with plastic wrap and top with another baking dish or plate holding weights. Chill sweetbreads, weighted, at least 8 hours.
• While sweetbreads chill, blanch pistachios in a small saucepan of boiling water 1 minute, then drain and peel.
• Pat sweetbreads dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil and 2 tablespoons butter in a deep 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of sweetbreads, turning over once, until golden brown, about 4 minutes total, and transfer to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and sauté remaining sweetbreads in same manner, transferring to plate.
• Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to skillet, then reduce heat to moderate and cook pancetta, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme, then reduce heat to moderately low and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add Sherry and bring to a boil, then add demi-glace, water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, pistachios, and sweetbreads and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, then cover surface of mixture with a buttered round of parchment paper (buttered side down) and simmer sweetbreads, skillet partially covered with lid, until firm but still springy to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer sweetbreads with a slotted spoon to a bowl and, when cool enough to handle, pull apart into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces. Ladle cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl, discarding bay leaf and thyme, and reserve. Reserve vegetables in another bowl for sauce and stuffing.
• Make stuffing:
• Cook spinach in a large pot of boiling salted water , uncovered, until wilted, about 20 seconds, then drain in colander. Transfer spinach to a bowl of cold water to stop cooking and drain again, squeezing handfuls of spinach to remove excess liquid. Chop spinach and stir into reserved vegetables along with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg.
• Stuff and roast veal loin:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Make a hole for stuffing that runs lengthwise through veal: Beginning in middle of 1 end of roast, insert a sharp long thin knife lengthwise toward center, then repeat at opposite end of loin to complete an incision running through middle. Open up incision with your fingers, working from both ends, to create a 1 1/2-inch-wide opening. Pack loin with all but 2 tablespoons vegetable stuffing, pushing from both ends toward center.
• Tie veal roast with kitchen string at 1-inch intervals along entire length of roast. Pat veal dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until just smoking, then brown veal, turning with tongs, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer skillet to oven and roast veal until thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into meat (do not touch stuffing) registers 150°F, 45 to 50 minutes for veal; about 40 minutes for pork. Transfer roast with tongs to a platter and let stand 20 minutes.
• Make sauce and reheat sweetbreads while veal stands:
• Skim fat from sweetbread cooking liquid and bring liquid to a boil in a 2 1/2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons vegetables, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Add sweetbreads along with any veal juices accumulated on platter and simmer until just heated through. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.
• Discard string, then cut veal into 1-inch-thick slices and serve with sweetbreads and some sauce. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

HERB ROASTED SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• 1. Remove the sweetbreads from the water and pat dry with a towel, season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• 2. Heat a pan large enough to hold the sweetbreads and the rest of the ingredients in a single layer.
• 3. Add grape-seed oil to the pan and lightly sear the sweetbreads on all sides for about 90 seconds.
• 4. Remove the seared sweetbreads from the pan and add the leeks, fennel, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, coriander seeds, and peppercorns. Cook over medium heat until soft without caramelizing, for about 4 minutes.
• 5. Add the Noilly Prat to the pan, stirring up anything that may be stuck to the pan, then add the chicken stock. Simmer for 8 minutes on low temperature.
• 6. Return the seared sweetbreads to the pan and, with the heat on low, gently poach them for about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and allow the sweetbreads to cool in the cooking liquid.
• 7. Once cooled, remove them from the liquid and reserve for portioning. Heat the cooking liquid and strain through a fine-mesh sieve, reduce the cooking liquid by two-thirds, leaving you with about 1 cup of reduced liquid. This will be the base for the sauce.
• Directions
• 1. Heat grape-seed oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, golden raisins, and coriander seeds. Cook for about 90 seconds.
• 2. Add the crushed grapes with the juices, bay leaf, and tarragon. Stir for about 90 seconds.
• 3. Add the white wine and boil for 30 seconds to burn off the alcohol. Add the verjus and sweetbread poaching liquid. Simmer for 20 minutes.
• 4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a new saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and reduce until the consistency thickens and the flavor intensifies.
• 5. Finish the sauce with chopped tarragon and minced shallots before serving.
• To Finish the Sweetbreads:
• 1. Have a heavy bottom saute pan heating up with enough grape-seed oil to cover the bottom.
• 2. Season both sides of the cooked sweetbreads with salt and pepper and lightly coat with flour, shaking off any excess.
• 3. Sear the sweetbreads on medium-high heat until golden brown and caramelized on all sides.
• 4. Add a crushed clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme and a tablespoon of butter to the pan, allowing the butter to brown before removing the sweetbreads from the pan. Keep warm.
• Assembly:
• 1. Place the sunchoke ragout on the plate and put the sweetbreads on top.
• 2. Arrange the braised radishes and peeled grapes on the plate, and then apply the verjus sauce.
• 3. Finish the plate with the petite lettuces and shaved radishes.

SWEETBREADS SAUTé RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove membranes and sinew from sweetbreads. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Place a skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter, swirling it around. Add sweetbreads and let the cubes brown on one side before turning. Sprinkle with about 3/4 teaspoon salt. Brown sweetbreads in this way, turning only once per side until cubes are browned on most surfaces, about 5 minutes total. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Add more butter, onions, and salt to taste. Sauté until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Move onions to one side of your skillet and add chiles, mustard seeds, and red peppers. Mustard seeds will pop. Add sweetbreads back into the pan. Add turmeric, sprinkling it over contents of the pan, and stir everything around. Sauté for 1 more minute to let ingredients mix together. Serve hot, garnishing with cilantro or parsley.

WARM SWEETBREAD SALAD WITH HARICOTS VERTS, WILD MUSHROOMS, AND HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE (RECIPE COURTESY OF THE DEAN AND DELUCA COOKBOOK)

Steps:

• Soak the sweetbreads in a large bowl of cold water for 3 hours, changing the water several times. Then remove the sweetbreads from the water and gently pull away as much of the outer membrane as you can, being careful not to tear the flesh. Soak the sweetbreads again for 1 hour, this time in a large bowl of cold water with 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Remove from the water and peel away more of the membrane. Separate the sweetbreads into its 2 lobes.
• Fill a medium saucepan with 5 cups cold water, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and the white wine vinegar. Place the sweetbreads in the pan and slowly bring the water to a simmer over moderate heat (this should take about 10 minutes). Allow the water to simmer very gently for another 5 minutes. (The sweetbreads should be firm on the outside, but still give a little when squeezed). Remove sweetbreads and place them in ice water for 10 minutes to stop the cooking.
• Dry sweetbreads and place in a heavy loaf pan or a terrine lined with plastic wrap. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap. Place another heavy loaf pan or terrine on top to weigh down the sweetbreads, and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook haricots verts until they are crisp but slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve at room temperature.
• In a small bowl combine the lemon juice with the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the shallots. Slowly whisk in the hazelnut oil. Season to taste with salt and the additional black pepper. Reserve.
• Place 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add remaining shallots and saute, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, making sure the pan is not overcrowded. (It may be necessary to saute the mushrooms in 2 batches). Saute with a big pinch of salt, shaking the pan occasionally, until mushrooms are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet and reserve. If there is liquid in the pan that the mushrooms have given off, boil it until it is reduced to 1 to 2 tablespoons and pour over the mushrooms.
• With a very sharp knife, cut the weighted sweetbreads into broad slices that are about 1/4 inch thick. Combine the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons of coarse salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on a plate and mix well. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet in which the mushrooms cooked, and place over high heat. Dredge sweetbread slices in the seasoned flour on both sides and add to hot oil. Saute, turning, until sweetbreads are browned and crispy on the outside, about 3 minutes. Remove.
• Toss reserved haricots verts and mushrooms together. Toss mixture with about half the hazelnut vinaigrette. Place one-fourth of the mixture on each of 4 plates. Nestle pieces of the crispy sweetbread slices among the haricots verts/ mushroom mixture, and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the sweetbread slices. Garnish with chervil.
• Suggested drink: Domaine Laroche Chablis Premier Crus, Les Fourchaumes 1987.

SAUTéED SWEETBREADS WITH SHERRY-MUSTARD BUTTER

Steps:

• Place the sweetbreads in a container, cover them with cold water, and soak them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, take them out and rinse them under cold running water to remove any remaining blood. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Lay the sweetbreads on top of the vegetables, pour in the wine, and cover with cold water by 2-3 inches. Add the bay leaf, a little salt, and the peppercorns and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-12 minutes. Test the sweetbreads for doneness by removing one piece (with tongs or a slotted spoon) and placing it in an ice-water bath; it should be firm but neither hard (overcooked) nor too flabby (undercooked) when cool. (Chef Daniel used to say that they should have the feel of a firm, young breast, and of course he would say that looking directly at me, to see me blush!) If it is done, chill all the sweetbreads in the ice bath.
• Place the sweetbreads in a pan or on a large plate with another pan or plate on top of them, and 2-3 pounds of weight (cans of beans work well) evenly distributed on top. Refrigerate and press for at least 1 hour. This process will firm the sweetbreads and create a uniform thickness that helps them cook more evenly.
• With a paring knife, clean the sweetbreads of outer membranes, fat, and any tendons or rubbery bits. If they are plump enough (at least 1 inch thick), the best method is to slice them in half. This shows you any little pinkish parts that you want to remove, which you can do by grasping the end between the tip of your paring knife and your thumb and gently tugging to extract them without breaking the sweetbread apart.
• Do not overdo the cleaning, but do try to get these chewy bits out. You can do this while the Sherry-Mustard Butter is cooking.
• Season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper. Dust with flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, cook the sweetbreads until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Drain them briefly on paper towels and serve on a plate or platter with sauce ladled over the top. If you like, throw some sliced mushrooms into the pan and sauté to a crispy brown. Season lightly, then spoon on top of the sweetbreads. Finish with chopped parsley or chives.
• Combine the wine, sherry, vinegar, and shallot in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is smooth and has a creamy consistency. Whisk in the mustards and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sweetbreads normally come in sets: the noix ("nut," in French), which is the rounder, meatier part (although a little fatter), about the size and shape of the palm of your hand, and the "gorge" (throat), which is the longer, gnarlier part, requiring more work for less yield. Ask your butcher or meat department for "heartbreads," which will be just the noix. Heartbreads cost a little more but are a lot easier to deal with.

SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Tear the sweetbread apart into 1 inch sections. Discard the stringy ligaments that hold it together. Rinse with water as you go. Dip the slightly wet sweetbreads into flour.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large heavy skillet. Fry the sweetbreads in the hot oil until golden brown, turning once. Remove from oil, and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper to taste.