Best Sweetbreads Recipes

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.

SWEETBREADS (PAN SEARED)

Steps:

• Place the salt and vinegar into a saucepot, with enough water to cover the sweetbreads, and bring to a boil.
• Add the sweetbreads, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Drain and cover with cold water.
• Remove all membranes and tubes.
• Slice each sweetbread in half crosswise.
• Mix the flour and garlic powder together and dredge the sweetbreads in the flour mixture.
• Heat butter and oil in a skillet until very hot.
• Place the sweetbreads and shallots into the hot skillet and once you place them in, DO NOT move them around.
• When they are a light golden color on the bottom side, (about 3 to 5 minutes), with tongs, carefully turn them over to sear the other side until that side becomes a light golden color.
• Remove the sweetbreads and plate them as you desire. Garnish them with the Italian parsley leaves and serve as a wonderful appetizer.

GRILLED SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Rinse sweetbreads well, then transfer to a 6-quart pot and add water, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently 10 minutes. Drain sweetbreads in a colander, then transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool.
• While sweetbreads are cooling, prepare grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderately high heat for gas; see "Grilling Procedure").
• Drain sweetbreads, then pat dry gently and separate into roughly 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 20) using your fingers. Toss sweetbread pieces with oil in a bowl, then thread onto skewers (about 5 pieces on each). Season with salt and pepper.
• Grill sweetbreads on lightly oiled grill rack (covered only if using a gas grill), turning occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer to a platter and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.

PAN ROASTED OSTRICH WITH CRISPY SWEETBREADS, SALSIFY PUREE, POTATO PUREE, OVEN-DRIED TOMATOES, PENCIL ASPARAGUS, ENOKI MUSHROOMS, AND GLACE DES MEDOC

Steps:

• Bring court bouillon to a simmer in a saucepan. Add sweetbreads and poach for approximately 9 minutes. Remove sweetbreads and discard liquid. Press sweetbreads between 2 sheet trays until completely cool. Peel membranes and separate into bite-size
• pieces.
• Just before serving, dust sweetbreads with flour, shaking off excess. Melt butter in a skillet over high heat, add sweetbreads, and sear until crispy. Add lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Keep warm.
• In a saucepan, bring several inches of water and the lemon juice to a simmer. Peel salsify and add to acidulated water; simmer until very tender. Strain and then transfer salsify to the bowl of a food processor. Add cream and melted butter and puree until smooth. The consistency should be more like a sauce than a puree. Keep warm.
• In a saucepan, simmer potatoes in water until tender. Strain and then put potatoes through a potato ricer. In a medium bowl, whip potatoes potatoes with hot cream and butter. Keep warm.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
• Slice tomatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices. In a medium bowl, toss tomatoes with olive oil. Arrange tomato slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Set aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan. Add shallots and saute until beginning to brown. Add wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Cook until wine is reduced to a syrup. Add veal stock and reduce until sauce consistency. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and swirl to combine. Keep warm.
• Melt oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season ostrich with salt and pepper. When pan is hot, add ostrich and sear on both sides until cooked to a medium doneness; it will not take long, as ostrich cooks very quickly and is not good when over-cooked. Reserve and keep warm. It may be necessary to sear the ostrich in 2 batches, so as not to over-crowd the pan.
• To serve, layer potatoes with spinach and tomatoes in a 2-inch ring mold. Place a pretty oval of potato on top with another dried tomato. Spoon a thin line of salsify puree onto the plate. Slice the ostrich on a sharp bias and place it next to the potato stack. Garnish with sweetbreads, asparagus, and enoki mushrooms. Drizzle Medoc reduction around the plate.

SOUTHERN-FRIED SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Soak sweetbreads in a large bowl of ice 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 teaspoon 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 an ice bath to stop cooking. Cut away any fat and pull away as much membrane and connective tissue as possible with a small paring knife, then separate with your fingers into roughly 2-inch pieces.
• Whisk buttermilk with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Add sweetbreads and soak, chilled, 1 hour.
• About 10 minutes before sweetbreads are finished soaking in buttermilk, start heating 2 inches oil to 350°F in a 5-quart wide heavy pot over medium heat. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, paprika, cayenne, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
• Put a metal cooling rack in a 4-sided sheet pan and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Drain sweetbreads well, discarding buttermilk. Dredge in flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then fry in 3 batches until golden and cooked through (cut one open to test), 3 to 3 1/2 minutes, depending on size. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season lightly with salt. Keep warm on rack in oven. (Return oil to 350deg; between batches.) Serve fried sweetbreads immediately.

SAUTEED SWEETBREADS (LAMB OR VEAL)

Steps:

• Put Salt& vinegar in a saucepan with enough water to cover the sweet breads, bring to a boil.
• Add sweetbreads, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Immediately drain and cover with cold water.
• Drain and cover with cold water.
• Remove all the membranes and tubes.
• Slice in half crosswise (you'll have 8 halves).
• Dredge in flower& garlic.
• Heat butter& oil in a skillet.
• Saute the sweetbreads until browned3-5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with the bacon.

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.

SWEETBREADS WITH MADEIRA SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the sweetbreads in a saucepan and add cold water to cover. Add salt, bay leaf,parsley,thyme and peppercorns. Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
• Slice each lobe on the bias into four pieces of equal thickness. Sprinkle the slices on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Dredge the slices in flour and shake off excess.
• Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy skillet. Add the sweetbread slices and cook 5 minutes on one side or until golden brown and slightly crisp. Turn the slices and cook 5 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a heated platter.
• Pour off any fat remaining in the skillet and add 1 tablespoon butter. Add the shallots and mushrooms and stir. Cook until the mushrooms are wilted.
• Sprinkle the mushroom mixture with the Madeira and stir. Add the broth and tomato paste, and bring to a boil. Add the sweetbread slices in one layer. Cover closely and cook 5 minutes.
• Transfer the sweetbread slices to a warm platter. Swirl the remaining tablespoon of butter into the sauce and pour it over the sweetbreads. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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.

BREADED SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Put the sweetbreads in a mixing bowl and add cold water to cover. Refrigerate overnight or for several hours. Put the sweetbreads in a saucepan and add cold water to cover. Bring to the boil and let simmer, stirring often, about five minutes. Drain and run under cold water until they are thoroughly chilled. Leave the sweetbreads whole, but cut or pull off any unsightly membranes, connecting tissues, etc. Place the sweetbreads on a rack and cover with a cloth. Cover with weights and let stand for one hour.
• Place the sweetbreads on a flat surface. Hold a sharp knife parallel to the surface and slice through the sweetbreads. This will produce up to 10 or 12 flat pieces.
• Put the egg in a flat dish and add the water, two teaspoons of oil, salt and pepper. Beat thoroughly.
• Put the flour in another flat dish. Put the bread crumbs in a third dish.
• Sprinkle the sweetbread slices with salt and pepper.
• Coat the slices individually in flour and shake off excess. Dip the slices in the egg mixture to coat well. Dredge the slices, one at a time, in the bread crumbs and pat to make the crumbs adhere.
• Heat two tablespoons of oil in each of two skillets so that the sweetbread slices can be cooked in one layer. When the oil is hot, add the sweetbread slices and cook until they are golden brown on one side, about six minutes. Turn the slices and cook until golden brown on the second side, about four to five minutes.
• Transfer the slices to a warm platter. If desired, wipe out one of the skillets and add the butter. Cook until it is foamy and starts to turn hazelnut brown. Pour this over the slices and serve sprinkled with finely chopped parsley.

LAMB SWEETBREADS IN A HONEY AND SHERRY VINEGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Soak the sweetbreads in cold water to cover for 2 hours, changing the water 3 times. Drain and place the sweetbreads in a saucepan. Cover with cold water and add the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the sweetbreads and immediately plunge them into a bowl of cold water. After 3 or 4 minutes, remove and drain the sweetbreads on paper towels. Separate into lobes, with the natural partitions, and remove the tubes and connective tissues. The pieces will be approximately 2 by 2 inches.
• In a large skillet that will hold all the sweetbreads in a single layer, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the sweetbreads, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and increase the heat to medium high. Cook, without stirring for about 3 minutes, then turn the sweetbreads to the other side. Continue cooking until golden, about 5 minutes more. Transfer them with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
• Add the onion and shallot to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes, until golden. Add the vinegar and sherry, increase the heat to high, and deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the beef broth or veal stock and simmer until again reduced by half, to just under 1 cup. Whisk in the honey and the butter and return the sweetbreads to the pan. Turn them in the sauce until heated through and nicely glazed, and serve immediately.

VEAL SWEETBREADS PICCATA WITH ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• To prepare the sweetbreads, place them in a nonreactive baking dish or large bowl and pour the milk over them, adding more if necessary to cover. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place the sweetbreads in the refrigerator to soak overnight. Drain the sweetbreads and discard the milk. Rinse the sweetbreads under cool water and pat them dry with paper towels.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion, fennel, and celery, and season with salt and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, vinegar, and peppercorns, and bring the liquid to a boil and boil until it reduces by half, about 15 minutes. Add the sweetbreads and add enough water to just cover. Place a large paper coffee filter or a piece of cheesecloth on the surface to keep the sweetbreads submerged and heat until you see the first few bubbles start to rise up from the surface. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into one of the sweetbreads registers 120°F to 125°F, removing the smaller sweetbreads from the liquid to the colander as they become done, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water and place a colander in the sink. Place a wire cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Plunge the sweetbreads in the ice water for 1 minute to cool completely. Lift the sweetbreads out of the ice water, pat dry with paper towels, and place them on the wire rack. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place a heavy baking dish on top of the sweetbreads and a bag of beans or a can of tomatoes on the dish to weigh it down. Place the weighted sweetbreads in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
• To finish and serve the sweetbreads, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut the artichokes in half crosswise at the stem. Thinly slice the stems lengthwise and place them in a bowl. Break apart the artichoke leaves to separate them and drop them into the bowl.
• Remove the weights and the plastic wrap from the sweetbreads and discard the plastic. Use a small, sharp knife to cut away and discard any knotty pieces or silver skin from the sweetbreads. Cut the sweetbreads into 2- to 3-inch segments. Pat the sweetbreads dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
• Heat the grapeseed oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Sear the sweetbreads in the oil until they are deep brown and crisp all over, about 4 minutes, turning them to cook all sides. Remove the sweetbreads to a baking sheet or a large plate and place them in the oven to heat through, about 3 minutes, while you make the sauce. Wipe the pan out with paper towels and add the olive oil and garlic. Season the garlic with salt and sauté over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent it from browning, until it softens slightly and becomes fragrant. Add the wine, caperberries, red pepper flakes, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid has burned off, the garlic is golden brown, and the sugar left in the pan begins to caramelize around the sides, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Stir in the artichokes and butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by half and the sauce thickens slightly, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat. Drizzle the lemon juice into the pan, add the parsley, and stir to incorporate into the sauce.
• Remove the sweetbreads from the oven. Use a slotted spoon to strain the artichoke leaves out of the liquid and spread them out in a circle about 6 inches diameter in the center of four plates, dividing them evenly. From here, building each serving in two layers, place a few leaves of cavolo nero on top of each serving of artichoke leaves. Nestle half of the sweetbreads on top of the cavolo, dividing them evenly, drizzle with half of the sauce, dividing the sauce evenly and leaving the caperberries in the pan. Build the second layer, starting with a few of the cavolo leaves, the remaining sweetbreads, and topped with a drizzle of the sauce, using all of the ingredients in the second layer. Nestle the caperberries and zested strips of lemon around and on top of the sweetbreads, and serve.
• suggested wine pairing
• Greco di Tufo (Campania)

CREAMED SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Add sweetbreads to 2 cups boiling water, add 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 small bay leaf,1/2 tsp pickling spice, 1/2 tsp salt.
• Add sweetbreads, simmer covered 20 minutes, drain well& cool.
• Remove the membrane from cooled sweetbreads.
• Melt butter, blend in flour, salt& paprika.
• Add broth& cream.
• cook until thickened, stirinng all the while.
• Add sweetbeads, mushrooms& sherry.
• Serve in warm baked patty shells, garnish with parsley sprigs.

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.

STUFFED SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the hard boiled eggs, parsley, onions, bread crumbs, melted butter, and enough broth, as needed, to make a wet stuffing. Pat the sweetbreads dry with a paper towel and make a pocket in the middle of the sweetbreads big enough to fill. Season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper and fill cavity with stuffing mixture. Heat the grapeseed oil in a medium skillet with an oven safe handle. In a shallow bowl, season flour with salt and pepper and dredge sweetbreads in flour, shaking off excess. Gently transfer sweetbreads to hot skillet and sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the whole pan in the preheated oven to finish. Test for doneness after about 5 more minutes by touching the sweetbreads to see if the interior has "tightened up" enough so it will remain intact when it is sliced. When this point has been reached remove from oven and let rest for about 20 minutes to allow all the flavors to flow back into the sweetbreads and allow it to set up before slicing.

SWEETBREADS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• To blanch sweetbreads, first wash in cold water, then place in a bowl and soak for about 2 hours in several changes of cold water . Pull off as much membrane and filament as you can without tearing the flesh. Soak for another 2 hours, this time adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar per quart of cold water. Pull off the filament and remove connecting tubes between lobes, if present. Place sweetbreads in a saucepan and cover by about two inches with boiling water. Add the salt and lemon juice (1 tsp salt and 1 tablespoon lemon juice per quart of water). Bring to a bare simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Drain and plunge into cold water for 5 minutes. Drain.
• When ready to cook, cut the blanched sweetbreads into bite-size cubes and brown them in the butter in a roomy skillet (You may need to brown them in two batches so as not to crowd them). Remove the sweetbreads to a plate. In the same skillet quickly brown the mushrooms over a brisk flame, adding more butter if needed. Add the lemon juice to the skillet and cook, covered, for 3 minutes.
• Return the sweetbreads to the skillet and add the chicken stock, tomato paste, sherry (I actually prefer dry marsala -- port or madeira would probably be OK, too), and bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add pepper. Dissolve the arrowroot in the white wine and add to skillet to thicken.
• The sweetbreads may be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated. Return to room temperature before reheating.

SPICY SWEETBREADS

Steps:

• Soak sweetbreads in a large bowl of water for 1 hour; drain.
• Place sweetbreads in a saucepan and cover with cold water; bring to a boil. Drain. Run cold water over sweetbreads to cool.
• Return sweetbreads to the saucepan and cover with cold water again. Add 1 tablespoon butter, lemon juice, and salt; bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add flour; cook and stir until a paste forms, about 1 minute. Season with paprika and cayenne. Pour in milk slowly, whisking until sauce is smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir sweetbreads, mushrooms, and peas into the sauce; cook until peas are heated through, about 5 minutes. Season sweetbreads with salt. Serve garnished with jalapeno pepper.

SWEETBREADS WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHERRIES

Steps:

• Rinse sweetbreads under cold running water. Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in 2 cups cold water in a 2-quart bowl. Add juice of 1/2 lemon. Add sweetbreads; water should cover them. Soak 1 to 2 hours. Place cherries in a dish, add wine and set aside at least 2 hours.
• Remove sweetbreads from water and use a sharp knife to peel off translucent membrane and remove any bits of fat. If sweetbreads separate into sections, that is fine. Place sweetbreads in a saucepan, cover with cold water, add almost all remaining lemon juice, bring to a slow simmer and poach 15 minutes. Allow to cool in liquid, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Remove sweetbreads from liquid. Separate into 1- to 2-inch nuggets. Pat dry. Season flour with salt and pepper and dust sweetbreads. Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet or sauté pan with a cover. Very lightly brown sweetbreads. Remove to a dish. Add pancetta and onion to skillet. Sauté on medium-low until starting to color. Add mushrooms and sauté until softened. Add cherries with wine, and stock. Stir to deglaze pan. Bring to a simmer, add sweetbreads, baste with sauce.
• Cover and simmer gently 10 minutes. Season sauce with remaining juice of lemon and salt and pepper. Baste sweetbreads again, add tarragon and serve.

FRESH VEAL SWEETBREADS WITH PORCINI SAUCE & CARROT SALAD

Steps:

• For the salad:.
• Put all ingredients, except oil, in bowl (if hand whisking) or food processor. While mixing slowly drizzle in oils until smooth and emulsified.
• Toss all ingredients in a bowl with 3-4 tablespoons dressing. Salt & pepper to taste.
• For the sweetbreads:.
• Heat Oven to 400 Degrees. Heat large heavy sauté pan. Season pressed sweetbread with salt and pepper, dredge in flour.
• Heat heavy sauté pan, add oil and 2 tablespoons butter, warm until butter melts. Add floured sweetbread, sear well on all sides - three minutes on each side - add remaining butter, rosemary and thyme - baste sweetbreads until firm - approximately four minutes. Remove to plate and keep warm.
• Add garlic and shallot to the same pan with residual butter. Add mushrooms and stir until brown. Deglaze pan with wine, add heavy cream and simmer until reduced by half.
• Divide sauce among four plates, slice sweetbreads, set on sauce and garnish with carrot salad.

BRAISED SWEETBREADS MARSALA WITH HONEY MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• The night before or the morning of the day you plan to cook your sweetbreads, or at least several hours before, put them in a small pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches. Squeeze the juice of the half-lemon into the pot, and add a good pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to a lively simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Drain the sweetbreads, and plunge them into cold water. When they are cool enough to handle, carefully open up the lobes just enough to ease out some of the connective tissue. You won't get it all, but don't worry. Now put the sweetbreads on a small plate, put another plate on top, and set something heavy on it-a jar of jam or a soup can. Refrigerate for an hour or so, or overnight.
• About 20 minutes before cooking, soak the dried honey mushrooms in 3/4 cup warm water.
• When ready to cook, melt the butter in a small skillet and sauté the shallot until softened. Break the sweetbreads up into about six pieces, following the lobes, and dredge the pieces in lightly salted flour. Toss them into the pan, and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until lightly browned. Pour in a good splash of Marsala, and let it cook down until almost evaporated. Strain the soaked honey mushrooms, reserving the straining water, and toss them into the pan. Sauté together for another minute before adding the mushroom soaking liquid and the glace de viande or stock. Turn the heat down, cover, and let braise for about 10 minutes, checking frequently to see that there is enough sauce, and adding a little water and/or stock as necessary. Taste, correct seasonings, and add some freshly ground pepper.
• Enjoy this delight with some steamed new potatoes and/or fresh peas or other compatible seasonal vegetable.
• Of course, different kinds of mushrooms can be substituted, including fresh, but I find that using at least some dried mushrooms gives an intensity to the sauce. And Madeira is every bit as good as Marsala here.