This recipe will not be for everyone—gland lovers only! Chef Daniel taught me how to prepare sweetbreads many years ago (his technique follows), and I have been serving them ever since. Of all the offals, it is the most appealing to me, because of its mild flavor and creamy texture. This particular preparation is my mom’s favorite dish, so it will never go off the menu. One of the most challenging parts of preparing sweetbreads is finding a place to buy them. You will probably have to special order them from your market’s meat department, but once you have them, then the real fun begins! For those intrepid cooks who dare to tackle this rather involved recipe at home, read on….

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 appetizer or 4 dinner servings

　　

Sautéed Sweetbreads

2 pounds veal sweetbreads

　　1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

　　1 onion, chopped

　　1 carrot, chopped

　　1 celery stalk, chopped

　　1 cup white wine, or 1/4 cup vinegar

　　1 bay leaf

　　Salt

　　A few black peppercorns

　　Pepper

　　Flour, for dusting

　　3 tablespoons olive oil or butter

　　Sherry-Mustard Butter

　　Sliced mushrooms, optional

　　Chopped fresh parsley and snipped fresh chives, for garnish

　　

Sherry-Mustard Butter

1/2 cup white wine

　　1/4 cup medium dry sherry

　　2 tablespoons sherry vinegar

　　1 medium shallot, diced

　　4–6 tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces, at room temperature

　　1 teaspoon Creole mustard

　　1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

　　Salt and pepper

　　

Sautéed Sweetbreads

Step 1

Place the sweetbreads in a container, cover them with cold water, and soak them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, take them out and rinse them under cold running water to remove any remaining blood. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Lay the sweetbreads on top of the vegetables, pour in the wine, and cover with cold water by 2–3 inches. Add the bay leaf, a little salt, and the peppercorns and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10–12 minutes. Test the sweetbreads for doneness by removing one piece (with tongs or a slotted spoon) and placing it in an ice-water bath; it should be firm but neither hard (overcooked) nor too flabby (undercooked) when cool. (Chef Daniel used to say that they should have the feel of a firm, young breast, and of course he would say that looking directly at me, to see me blush!) If it is done, chill all the sweetbreads in the ice bath.

　　

Step 2

Place the sweetbreads in a pan or on a large plate with another pan or plate on top of them, and 2–3 pounds of weight (cans of beans work well) evenly distributed on top. Refrigerate and press for at least 1 hour. This process will firm the sweetbreads and create a uniform thickness that helps them cook more evenly.

　　

Step 3

With a paring knife, clean the sweetbreads of outer membranes, fat, and any tendons or rubbery bits. If they are plump enough (at least 1 inch thick), the best method is to slice them in half. This shows you any little pinkish parts that you want to remove, which you can do by grasping the end between the tip of your paring knife and your thumb and gently tugging to extract them without breaking the sweetbread apart.

　　

Step 4

Do not overdo the cleaning, but do try to get these chewy bits out. You can do this while the Sherry-Mustard Butter is cooking.

　　

Step 5

Season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper. Dust with flour, shaking off the excess. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, cook the sweetbreads until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Drain them briefly on paper towels and serve on a plate or platter with sauce ladled over the top. If you like, throw some sliced mushrooms into the pan and sauté to a crispy brown. Season lightly, then spoon on top of the sweetbreads. Finish with chopped parsley or chives.

　　

Sherry-Mustard Butter

Step 6

Combine the wine, sherry, vinegar, and shallot in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 3 tablespoons, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is smooth and has a creamy consistency. Whisk in the mustards and season to taste with salt and pepper.

　　

Notes

Step 7

Sweetbreads normally come in sets: the noix (“nut,” in French), which is the rounder, meatier part (although a little fatter), about the size and shape of the palm of your hand, and the “gorge” (throat), which is the longer, gnarlier part, requiring more work for less yield. Ask your butcher or meat department for “heartbreads,” which will be just the noix. Heartbreads cost a little more but are a lot easier to deal with.

　　From Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer Copyright (c) 2007 by Susan Spicer Published by Knopf.Susan Spicer was born in Key West, Florida, and lived in Holland until the age of seven, when her family moved to New Orleans. She has lived there ever since, and is the owner of two restaurants, Bayona and Herbsaint. This is her first cookbook.Paula Disbrowe was the former Cowgirl Chef at Hart & Hind Fitness Ranch in Rio Frio, Texas. Prior to that, she spent ten years working as a food and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Saveur, among other major publications.