recipe
yields
6 servings
1½ pounds veal heart sweetbreads
2 cups white wine, separated into cups
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons peppercorns, separated into teaspoons
10 sprigs fresh thyme
1 teaspoon shallot, finely chopped
½ cup hot sauce
½ cup heavy cream
2 sticks unsalted butter, diced
½ cup flour
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup vegetable oil for frying, separated
1 firm apple, julienned
2 tablespoons celery leaf
ingredients
steps
- For poaching and pressing sweetbreads, bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepot.
- Add sweetbreads, 1 cup white wine, garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon peppercorns and thyme.
- Reduce heat to very low and simmer until sweetbreads are slightly firm, approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove sweetbreads and immediately submerge in ice bath until completely cooled.
- Once cooled, arrange sweetbreads on large cloth or towel-lined pan. Place another pan on top of sweetbreads and top with weight heavy enough to press sweetbreads to remove excess water and blood. Refrigerate overnight.
- Once pressed, remove all membranes and tubes from sweetbreads and cut each sweetbread into quarter-sized pieces.
- For beurre blanc, pour remaining wine into small saucepan, and then add peppercorns and shallots. Reduce to about 2 tablespoons.
- Add cream and hot sauce, simmer over medium heat until slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Immediately whisk in diced butter a small amount at a time, adding more before previous addition has melted into sauce. Sauce should become smooth, airy and emulsified. Strain, and season with salt and pepper.Keep warm around stove or on double boiler, but not over direct heat.
- For frying, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Combine flour and cornstarch in large bowl, and whisk until combined.
- Pat sweetbreads dry with paper towels, and then season well with salt and pepper. Toss sweetbreads in flour mixture to coat, then shake off any excess.
- Fry coated sweetbreads in batches, making sure not to overcrowd pan. Cook on both sides until browned and crispy, about 2 minutes per side.
- Immediately toss fried sweetbreads in hot sauce beurre blanc until evenly coated.
- Serve with slight drizzle of sauce and garnish with julienned apples and celery leaf.
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- From Executive Chef Martha Wiggins of Sylvain in New Orleans, Louisiana