Sweetbreads with Lemon and Capers
Cleaning, rolling, poaching, and slicing the sweetbreads can be done in advance, but wait until the last minute to cook them and make the sauce. Two whole sweetbreads will serve six people—perfect if you’re preparing this recipe for sweetbread lovers. If your circle of sweetbread fans is smaller, simply make this recipe with one sweetbread and cut the rest of the ingredients in half. Veal sweetbreads are the thymus gland of young calves, which, when cooked, have a delicate flavor and a somewhat firm texture. Look for large, plump pairs of sweetbreads and trim off most of the outer membrane before you cook them, keeping enough intact to hold the sweetbreads together as they poach. (You can always trim more off after they cook.) My method of shaping and poaching the sweetbreads first, then pan-searing them just before serving, helps the sweetbreads keep their shape and reduces the amount of last-minute cooking. Save any less-than-perfect slices and the trimmings from the end of the sweetbread “sausage” as a treat for the cook, or as a first course for another meal. (If you can’t get to enjoy them right away, wrap them tightly and freeze them until you can.) Brown the sweetbread nuggets in a mix of butter and oil until crispy, remove them from the pan and drain them. Sauté some sliced mushrooms in the same pan, then toss the sweetbreads and mushrooms with a green salad dressed with lemon and oil.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pour enough water into a 4- to 5-quart pot to fill halfway. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Trim the sweetbreads of all fat and peel off the outer membranes, working gently to keep the sweetbreads in one piece. Tear off two 20-inch lengths of plastic wrap and lay one out in front of you with one of the long sides closest to you. Center one of the sweetbreads over the edge of the plastic wrap closest to you and roll it up into a snug roll. Twist the two ends of the plastic wrap simultaneously to force the sweetbread into a neat and very compact large sausage shape. Tie the two ends of the plastic wrap together so the roll holds its shape. Repeat with the remaining sweetbread and plastic wrap. Lower the sweetbread rolls into the boiling water and cook 15 minutes.
Step 2
Remove the sweetbreads from the water, drain, and cool to room temperature. Chill the sweetbreads on a plate in the refrigerator until cold and firm, at least 3 to 4 hours or up to 1 day.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 200° F. Unwrap the chilled sweetbreads, pat them dry, and cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. (You should have about ten perfect slices from each sweetbread roll.) Season the slices with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, dredge the sweetbread slices in flour to coat both sides lightly, tap off excess flour, and add to the skillet as many slices as will fit without touching. Cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Continue with the remaining sweetbreads.
Step 4
Pour off the oil from the skillet, return it to the heat, and add the butter. Heat until foaming, then scatter the lemon slices over the butter. Cook, stirring gently from time to time, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the lemon to a plate, let the butter reheat a minute, then scatter the capers into the pan. Cook until they begin to sizzle, then pour in the lemon juice and wine. Bring to a vigorous boil, and boil until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, and cook until the sauce is slightly syrupy, about 6 minutes. Stir in the parsley, taste the sauce, and season it with salt and pepper. Center the sweetbreads on hot plates, spoon some of the sauce over each serving, and arrange the lemon slices over or around the sweetbreads.
