Best Sweetbread Recipes

TRINIDAD SWEETBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 5x9 inch loaf pans and set aside.
• Blend together the butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk and almond extract.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Add to wet ingredients and stir.
• Add coconut, coarsely mixed dry chopped fruit and raisins. Mix well and pour into prepared loaf tins.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

MOLASSES SWEETBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch cake pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together the molasses, lard, salt, and raisins. Stir in the boiling water until smooth. Sift together the flour, ground ginger and baking soda. Stir the flour into the molasses mixture until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan,
• Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack before removing from the pan.
• While the cake is baking, prepare the icing by simmering together the brown sugar and cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat to between 234 and 240 degrees F (112 to 116 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Pour the syrup into a bowl, add the butter, and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture begins to thicken, then set aside and allow to cool.
• Once the frosting and cake are both cool, spread the icing on the cake and serve.

VEAL SWEETBREAD (PANCREAS)

Steps:

• Soak sweetbreads in iced cold water for about 12 hours, changing the water regularly, until the water stays clear.
• Place your sweetbread in a pot covered with cold water, optional to add lemon juice or vinegar.
• Bring to the boil and let them simmer for a few minutes.
• Then, quickly cool them down in iced cold water.
• Trim them down and peel the membrane off of the sweetbreads.
• In a saucepan, saute sliced mushrooms in butter. Add cream, red wine, and pepper.
• Add the sweetbreads.
• Simmer until the sauce is reduced about half, for approximately 20 minutes.

VEAL SWEETBREAD AND BACON PIE

Steps:

• Soak sweetbreads in cold water for 1 hour. Rinse and place in pot. Cover with additional cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, then drain immediately and plunge into a bowl of cold water. Remove skin and press sweetbreads between 2 plates. Wrap plates in a towel, place a heavy weight on top, and compress for 30 minutes. Blot sweetbreads dry after pressed.
• For pastry: Make well in center of flour. Add salt and butter. Combine quickly with water to form a smooth dough. Knead lightly and let rest for 30 minutes in a cool place. Remove and roll out to a size slightly larger than the lip of a pie pan.
• To assemble: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat clarified butter in pan. When hot, add bacon and fry. Line pie dish with half the bacon, cover with a layer of sweetbreads. Add remaining bacon and remaining sweetbreads. Moisten with lemon juice and cover with tomatoes. Season with pepper and marjoram leaves.
• Lightly brush lip of pie pan with water. Cover filling with pastry and press down at edges to seal. Trim off excess dough. Cut vent holes in center and brush dough with egg. Bake 45 minutes.

WARM SWEETBREAD SALAD WITH HARICOTS VERTS, WILD MUSHROOMS, AND HAZELNUT VINAIGRETTE (RECIPE COURTESY OF THE DEAN AND DELUCA COOKBOOK)

Steps:

• Soak the sweetbreads in a large bowl of cold water for 3 hours, changing the water several times. Then remove the sweetbreads from the water and gently pull away as much of the outer membrane as you can, being careful not to tear the flesh. Soak the sweetbreads again for 1 hour, this time in a large bowl of cold water with 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Remove from the water and peel away more of the membrane. Separate the sweetbreads into its 2 lobes.
• Fill a medium saucepan with 5 cups cold water, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and the white wine vinegar. Place the sweetbreads in the pan and slowly bring the water to a simmer over moderate heat (this should take about 10 minutes). Allow the water to simmer very gently for another 5 minutes. (The sweetbreads should be firm on the outside, but still give a little when squeezed). Remove sweetbreads and place them in ice water for 10 minutes to stop the cooking.
• Dry sweetbreads and place in a heavy loaf pan or a terrine lined with plastic wrap. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap. Place another heavy loaf pan or terrine on top to weigh down the sweetbreads, and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook haricots verts until they are crisp but slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve at room temperature.
• In a small bowl combine the lemon juice with the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the shallots. Slowly whisk in the hazelnut oil. Season to taste with salt and the additional black pepper. Reserve.
• Place 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add remaining shallots and saute, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, making sure the pan is not overcrowded. (It may be necessary to saute the mushrooms in 2 batches). Saute with a big pinch of salt, shaking the pan occasionally, until mushrooms are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove mushrooms from skillet and reserve. If there is liquid in the pan that the mushrooms have given off, boil it until it is reduced to 1 to 2 tablespoons and pour over the mushrooms.
• With a very sharp knife, cut the weighted sweetbreads into broad slices that are about 1/4 inch thick. Combine the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons of coarse salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on a plate and mix well. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet in which the mushrooms cooked, and place over high heat. Dredge sweetbread slices in the seasoned flour on both sides and add to hot oil. Saute, turning, until sweetbreads are browned and crispy on the outside, about 3 minutes. Remove.
• Toss reserved haricots verts and mushrooms together. Toss mixture with about half the hazelnut vinaigrette. Place one-fourth of the mixture on each of 4 plates. Nestle pieces of the crispy sweetbread slices among the haricots verts/ mushroom mixture, and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the sweetbread slices. Garnish with chervil.
• Suggested drink: Domaine Laroche Chablis Premier Crus, Les Fourchaumes 1987.

SWEETBREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the coconut, sugar, margarine, raisins, cherries, salt, and flour. Mix to combine.
• In a measuring cup, mix the yeast with the warm water. Add to the flour mixture, along with the egg. The dough should be sticky.
• Leave the dough in the mixing bowel and let it rest, loosely covered with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Divide dough into 2 pieces. Gently knead each piece on a generously floured board and place in 2 buttered loaf pans. Let the dough rest until it doubles in size, once more. Bake until golden in color, about 50 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Mix sugar and water and brush over hot sweetbread. Leave to cool.

HONEY MOLASSES SWEETBREAD

Steps:

• Cook milk, honey, and molasses on low heat until blended..cool slightly Beat together eggs and butter, then add to milk mixture. Sift together dry ingredients and beat into the wet mixture Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake at 350 F for one hour

SWEETBREAD AND SPINACH SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Remove all outer membranes, blood and connecting tissues from sweetbreads. Soak them overnight in cool water.
• Drain and cook the sweetbreads in water to cover with salt to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and arrange on a rack with a weight to extract the moisture for one hour. Chill. Cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Clean spinach, removing all tough stems, and wash well. Drain. Cook spinach in the moisture that clings to the leaves over low heat until it is wilted. Drain; cool and then extract as much moisture as possible by squeezing in tea towel or cheesecloth. Chop coarsely.
• Combine sweetbreads, veal, pork, fat, shallots, seasonings and eggs in several batches in food processor and process each batch about 20 seconds with metal blade, until mixture is in very small pieces. After all the batches are processed, return each one to processor, slowly pouring in a portion of the cream while processing for about 15 seconds. The mixture should be smooth but not too fine.
• Combine the meats with the spinach and blend well.
• Using sausage stuffer, stuff casings, twist and tie into 4- to 6-inch links.
• Place sausages in pot of boiling salted water. Return slowly to a boil; reduce heat and simmer slowly for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Drain well and cool.
• To serve, grill or pan-fry sausages in butter. If desired, serve with beurre blanc.

SWEETBREAD SOUP

Steps:

• Cover sweetbreads with cold water and soak for 3 to 4 hours changing the water 2 or 3 times.
• Drain and cover again with fresh cold water; heat to boiling and cook 2 minutes.
• Remove from water and place on a clean towel to drain.
• Cut away bits of skin and veins with a knife, being careful not to break the sweetbreads, then cut them into 2 inch pieces.
• Melt butter in saucepan and add onions, carrots and cabbage; simmering about 10 minutes.
• Add flour and stir until blended, then add stock.
• Stir until mixture is well blended, seasoning with salt and pepper.
• Cover and simmer 45 minutes.
• Add sweatbreads and continue cooking for 30 minutes or until tender.
• Serve garnished with asparagus tips.

PULLED PORK SWEETBREAD SLIDERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Separate the tops and bottoms of your rolls and place the bottoms in an 11" x 7" casserole dish
• Mix the Mayo and cream cheese into a smooth paste
• Prep the bread by spreading a thin layer of mayo/cheese mix on the tops and bottoms of the rolls
• Place about 2-3 Tablespoons of pulled pork on each roll. If there is leftover pork, try to dab it around evenly over the bottom pieces of bread in the casserole dish
• Place a 1"x1" square of smoked cheddar on each mound of the pulled pork
• Place the tops on the sandwiches
• In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, finely minced onions and Worcestershire sauce
• Pour sauce over the rolls, just covering the tops. Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes
• After they have sat for 10 minutes, bake for 10 minutes
• Remove foil and continue baking for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted
• Cut and serve