Modern Sweetbread Dishes

Ingredients

• 1 pound Sweetbreads (Veal or lamb sweetbreads, soaked in cold water for at least 2 hours, changing water frequently.)
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Or to taste)
• 0.5 teaspoon Black pepper (Freshly ground, or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon Lemon (Juice of, for lemon butter)
• 4 tablespoons Butter (Unsalted, for lemon butter)
• 1 cup Heavy cream (For white sauce)
• 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour (For white sauce)
• 1 cup Milk (For white sauce)
• 0.25 teaspoon Nutmeg (Ground, for white sauce)
• 1 cup Cooked chicken (Cooked and diced)
• 2 tablespoons Butter (For Bechamel Sauce)
• 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour (For Bechamel Sauce)
• 2 cups Milk (For Bechamel Sauce)
• 0.25 small Onion (Peeled, for Bechamel Sauce)
• 2 whole Cloves (For Bechamel Sauce)
• 1 Bay leaf (For Bechamel Sauce)

Instructions

1. 1Place sweetbreads in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. This helps to firm them up and remove any impurities.
2. 2Split the parboiled sweetbread crosswise. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through, until lightly browned.
3. 3While the sweetbread is broiling, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Serve immediately over the broiled sweetbread.
4. 4Cut the parboiled sweetbread into 1/2-inch cubes or separate into small pieces. Prepare White Sauce II: In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of heavy cream until smooth. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. Reheat the sweetbread in the white sauce.
5. 5Reheat equal parts of cold cooked chicken and sweetbread (cut in dice) in White Sauce II (prepared in step 4).
6. 6Cut the parboiled sweetbread into cubes. Prepare Béchamel Sauce: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in 2 cups of milk until smooth. Add 1/4 small peeled onion, 2 whole cloves, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the onion, cloves, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reheat the sweetbread in the Béchamel sauce.