2 1/2 lb Lamb or calves sweetbreads
1 tb Lemon juice
2 tb Unsalted butter
2 tb Olive oil
1 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly-ground black pepper
=== SAUCE ===
1/2 c Finely-chopped onion
4 Shallots; finely chopped
2 1/2 tb Sherry vinegar; or to taste
1/4 c Fino or amontillado sherry
1 1/2 c Beef broth or veal stock;
-reduced by half
1 tb Honey
1 tb Unsalted butter
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. This recipe yields 6 servings.
Yields
6 servings
