Recipe: Crispy Lamb Sweetbreads and Porcini Mushrooms

Name: Crispy Lamb Sweetbreads and Porcini Mushrooms
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 small sweetbreads or cleaned white kidneys; 50 g (1.75 oz) sifted flour; 2 whole eggs beaten with a splash of sunflower oil; 80 g (2.8 oz) equal parts breadcrumbs and freshly grated parmesan mixed + a little dried porcini powder; 250 g (8.75 oz) small porcini mushrooms "buttons" (if possible); 20 cl (0.8 cup) reduced meat stock; 1 garlic clove, de-germed and reduced to a purée; 100 g (3.5 oz) fine butter and sunflower oil; salt and freshly ground pepper

By chef patrick Asfaux 5/5 (4 reviews)

Prep 20 min

Cook 20 min

Total 40 min

Servings 4 serv.

Sweetbreads are lamb testicles, blanched 4 minutes in boiling water to remove membranes. Coated in flour, egg, then breadcrumbs mixed with parmesan and dried porcini powder. Cook 6 minutes per side in butter and oil. Side dish: small porcini mushroom buttons sautéed in the pan. Reduced meat stock with garlic to finish.

Ingredients for 4 servings

Adjust for

servings

8 small sweetbreads or cleaned white kidneys
50 g (1.75 oz) sifted flour
2 whole eggs beaten with a splash of sunflower oil
80 g (2.8 oz) equal parts breadcrumbs and freshly grated parmesan mixed + a little dried porcini powder
250 g (8.75 oz) small porcini mushrooms "buttons" (if possible)
20 cl (0.8 cup) reduced meat stock
1 garlic clove, de-germed and reduced to a purée
100 g (3.5 oz) fine butter and sunflower oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Step-by-step directions

1 Blanch your sweetbreads or white kidneys by plunging them into cold water, bring to a boil for 4 minutes then cool them and cut in half, salt and pepper.

2 Coat your sweetbreads first by passing them through the flour (tap gently) then through the beaten eggs then through the breadcrumb mixture and refrigerate for 15 minutes

3 In a pan pour a little oil and butter, sauté your porcini mushrooms, salt and pepper then heat the pan well, pour in a spoonful of hot water, cover and turn off your heat.

4 In a pan put 60g (2.1 oz) of butter and a little oil then when your mixture is golden place your sweetbreads in it and cook for 6 minutes on each side then turn off the heat and cover.

5 At serving time, give your pans a little more heat, warm your meat stock and at the last moment add your garlic purée, arrange tastefully on hot plates and....tell me!!
the names of animal testicles are often "flamboyant" so I mention the sweetbreads, the animelles, in old recipes: the Queen's Frivolities highly prized also in Italy under the name of animella and in Spain under the name of criadillas.

Chef's tip

Sweetbreads is a dish you cook mostly in autumn and winter, when you fancy rich meats and porcini mushrooms hit the market. Historically, it's a cornerstone of French bourgeois cooking, sometimes called « queen's frivolities » or « animelles » in old recipes. Less known as animella in Italy, in Spain it's criadillas. It's Sunday food, the kind you prepare when you have time and want to show you can handle an unusual cut. Fresh porcini arrive from September to November, that's the moment. Can't find fresh ones, grab frozen, it works fine. Sweetbreads need ordering from your butcher a few days ahead. For wine, go for a dry white with backbone: Meursault, Côtes du Jura blanc, or good Chablis. The butter and golden breadcrumb crust need something with grip. Skip light reds, they don't hold up against the rich stock and creamy texture. For sides, plain steamed potatoes or a bitter green salad, rocket or endive. The parmesan in the coating does the cheese job already. Honest cooking, no need to overload.

Frequently asked questions

Why blanch sweetbreads before breading?

The 4-minute blanch in boiling water removes outer membranes and purifies the meat. Makes it whiter and tenderer. Cook raw and they stay fibrous, the skin shrinks during cooking.

Can you replace fresh porcini with porcini powder?

Powder is just for breading here. For the pan-sautéed mushrooms, go for frozen porcini « buttons ». Powder alone won't give the texture or juice you need. Or use firm button mushrooms cooked hard with a big pinch of powder.

Can you bread the sweetbreads the day before?

Yes, it's even better. Bread them the day before, chill 15 minutes, then store covered 12 to 24 hours. The coating sets better. Just prep the mushrooms same day, they oxidize fast.