For many people, offal is a perfect name for the variety of meats that include but are not limited to liver, tongue, kidneys, tripe, brains, sweetbreads or most of the innards of a particular animal.
Because liver is considered semi-mainstream, I have to say sweetbreads were my first offal experience, and it was awful. We were at a "fine dining" place in Milwaukee in the late '60s. I had already developed a strong curiosity for anything different on a menu, and Sautéed Sweetbreads in a Sherry Mushroom Sauce sounded perfectly different to me.
When the plate was placed in front of me, a large off-white globule, looking like a Michelin man appendage, was lounging in a watery brown liquid with sliced mushrooms floating around it. Hoping that it tasted better than it looked, I started to cut off a piece. After two to three minutes of slicing and tearing, a small chunk broke away from the mass. I popped it into my mouth, chewed a bit and went for my napkin. It had the texture of a firm Nerf ball and the flavor of bitter raw sherry.
I was a bit embarrassed, as I thought I was the "bon vivant" for bravely ordering the adventure platter. As I looked wistfully at my parents' normal beef and chicken that they were happily consuming, I did my best Houdini to cut and move the offending mass around the plate and under the decorative kale leaf to make it disappear.
Years later, while I was working for Chef Von Erp, he made a quick appetizer of Sautéed Sweetbreads with Wild Mushrooms. He first soaked and then quickly blanched the sweetbreads, peeled off the outer skin, then did a quick braise with vegetables and white wine to par-cook them.
They were cooled and pressed under a light weight, and then he sliced, floured and sautéed them to a perfect golden crispness. Alongside were sautéed wild chanterelles with a well-reduced pan sauce of white wine and lemon. I was reluctant to even try them, but after the first bite . . . "Oh, so this is what sweetbreads should taste like!"
It's a shame that the first time we try anything, we don't always encounter the perfectly prepared item; so many folks go through their life hating certain foods for no better reason other than it was prepared incorrectly.
I'm happy I learned that lesson early. Now when I think of offal, I realize it should mean "offally" good.
Recipes
Cumin-Dusted Sweetbreads with Lemon Minted Peas, Glazed Carrots and Morels
Makes 2 servings
| Sweetbreads (prepared day ahead; see recipe) Glazed carrots (see recipe) Lemon oil (see recipe) ½ cup milk 4 tablespoons clarified butter (divided) 3 tablespoons grape seed oil (divided) 1 cup fresh morels or other wild mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and halved lengthwise 1 large shallot (about 2 ounces), peeled, sliced thin | ½ cup white wine ½ cup freshly shucked or individually quick-frozen peas Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 3 tablespoons fresh mint leaves (cut chiffonade) Ground cumin for sweetbreads Flour to coat sweetbreads |
Prepare sweetbreads a day in advance.
Prepare glazed carrots and lemon oil.
Cut blanched sweetbreads into ½-inch-thick slices and place in milk.
Set two large sauté pans over medium heat. You will need one large enough to hold all the sweetbreads in a single layer. The other pan will be used to cook vegetables and morels.
To the non-sweetbread pan, add 2 tablespoons clarified butter and 1 tablespoon oil. When hot, add morels and sauté 1 minute. Add shallot and sauté 1 minute. Add wine and cook until wine nearly has evaporated. Add glazed carrots.
In small saucepan, blanch peas in boiling water 30 seconds, then shock in ice water and drain. Add them to the pan, then season with salt and pepper and heat through. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the lemon oil and add the mint. Keep warm while you sauté sweetbreads in second pan.
Shake excess milk off sweetbreads and season with salt, pepper and cumin. Place in flour to coat and pat off excess. Place remaining 2 tablespoons clarified butter and remaining 2 tablespoons grape seed oil in pan. When hot, add sweetbreads and sauté until deeply golden on first side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and sauté until deeply golden on second side, another 3 to 4 minutes.
To serve: Divide vegetable/mushroom mixture and sweetbreads between 2 plates. Place lemon oil around and a bit over sweetbreads, but not too much, so they stay crispy.
Sweetbreads:
| 10 to 12 ounces sweetbreads (see note) 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar |
Prepare a day ahead. Soak sweetbreads in ice water for about 1 hour. Remove and blanch for 3 minutes in boiling water in which you've added salt and white wine vinegar. Place in ice water and when cool, remove some of the heavy outer membrane but not all of it, to keep sweetbreads intact. Place on dish under a light weight (1 to 2 pounds) and refrigerate overnight.
Note: Check with your grocer's butcher about sweetbreads. They might have to be special-ordered.
Glazed carrots:
| 1 carrot (3 to 4 ounces) ¾ cup water 1 teaspoon butter ½ teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon lemon juice |
Peel carrot and cut into 2-inch-long by ¼-inch-thick bâtonnets. Place carrots and all remaining ingredients except lemon juice in a small sauté pan. Place over medium-high heat and cover. Cook until all liquid is absorbed and carrots are tender. If carrots are not tender, you can add a few more tablespoons water. Keep sautéing carrots until they are lightly colored. Add lemon juice, toss and cook until dry. Refrigerate until needed.
Lemon oil:
| ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice Microplaned zest of half a lemon Generous ½ teaspoon ground cumin | 3 tablespoons grape seed oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt Pinch of freshly ground black pepper |
In small saucepan, combine lemon juice, zest and cumin. Cook over medium heat to reduce to 2 tablespoons liquid. Whisk together with grape seed oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and whisk before using.
Sanford "Sandy" D'Amato, chef/co-owner of Sanford Restaurant, 1547 N. Jackson St., Coquette Cafe, 316 N. Milwaukee St., and Harlequin Bakery, is a James Beard Award winner. For more information, visit www.sanfordrestaurant.com.