How to Cook Offal – Sweetbreads
Recipes for Cooking the Thymus and Pancreas of Lambs and Calves
Sep 28, 2009
“Sweetbreads” is the genteel term for the pancreas and thymus glands of lambs and calves. The thymus is also known as the neck or throat sweetbread and the pancreas is also referred to as the heart or stomach sweetbread. They used to be used quite extensively in UK cuisine and were regarded as a delicacy. They are still cooked regularly in Eastern Mediterranean countries such as Egypt and Turkey.
Use and Preparation of Sweetbreads
To prepare them, sweetbreads need to be soaked in cold water for several hours (overnight is ideal) and then blanched in boiling water with some lemon juice in it. Remove any skin, membrane and fat before cooking. The sweetbreads of a calf are considered to be the best and one or two pieces should be allowed per person. Lamb sweetbreads, naturally, are smaller and two or three pieces should be allowed per person.
According to Abbey and Macdonald’s book ‘O’ Level Cookery sweetbreads are good for invalid dishes because they are of a light texture and easily digested. They are classed, like heart, and tongue as offal and generally need to be ordered through a quality butcher rather than being found on the shelves of supermarkets. Here are a couple of recipes to make the most of them.
Recipe for Sweetbreads in a White Wine Sauce
Ingredients (serves 2):
- ¾ lb sweetbreads
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ¾ pint milk
- 1 glass white wine
- 1 small onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 oz butter
- 1 oz plain flour
- ½ tsp mace
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- Prepare the sweetbreads as outlined above
- Peel and slice the onion
- Put the sweetbreads in a saucepan with the onion, milk, mace and bayleaf and simmer gently for 15 minutes or so. They are cooked when they feel firm to the touch and have lost their pink tinge
- Drain the sweetbreads, saving the milk they were cooked in, and keep warm
- Melt the butter and add the flour, stirring for a minute or so
- Remove the bay leaf from the milk and slowly add it to the butter and flour, stirring all the time until the sauce thickens. Add the wine and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the sweetbreads and serve with mashed potatoes and peas
Baked Sweetbreads Recipe
Ingredients (serves 2):
- ¾ lb sweetbreads
- 1 lightly beaten egg
- 4oz breadcrumbs
- 2oz butter
- Toast
Method:
- Prepare the sweetbreads as outlined above
- Simmer in boiling water for about five minutes until they are firm but not hard
- Drain and cool them
- Brush them with the egg and then roll in the breadcrumbs
- Melt the butter and pour into a baking tray
- Add the crumbed sweetbreads and bake on gas mark 5, 190 C, 375 F for about forty minutes
- Serve on slices of hot toast
 |
 |
