Butter-Basted Veal Sweetbreads with Peas, Broad Beans and Morels

⏱ 150 min · Serves 4

A classic French springtime plate given the full restaurant treatment: sweetbreads soaked, poached and pressed until silky, then crisped in foaming butter and set on a glossy tangle of peas, broad beans and earthy morels bound with vermouth cream. Golden crust, custardy centre, green sweetness — worth every step.

Per serving: 565 kcal · 34.0g protein · 18.0g carbs · 40.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g veal sweetbreads (heart breads if possible)
• 1 litre cold water plus 2 tbsp fine salt, for brining
• 1 litre light chicken stock, for poaching
• 1 bay leaf, 6 black peppercorns, 1 thyme sprig
• 25g dried morels (or 150g fresh morels)
• 200g podded fresh peas (or frozen petits pois)
• 250g podded broad beans (about 750g in pod)
• 2 banana shallots, finely diced
• 100ml dry vermouth (Noilly Prat)
• 200ml veal or chicken stock, well reduced
• 100ml double cream
• 80g unsalted butter, cold and diced
• 2 tbsp plain flour, for dusting
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• 1 tbsp chopped tarragon
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Flaky sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method

1. Soak the sweetbreads in the salted cold water in the fridge for 3-4 hours if you have time, or at least 1 hour, changing the water once, until the water runs clear.
2. Drain, place in a pan, cover with the light chicken stock and add bay, peppercorns and thyme. Bring barely to a simmer and poach very gently for 6-8 minutes, until just firm. Lift out and cool briefly.
3. While still warm, peel away the outer membrane, sinew and any fatty bits, keeping the lobes intact. Lay between two trays lined with kitchen paper, weight lightly and chill for at least 30 minutes to press flat.
4. Soak the dried morels in 200ml warm water for 20 minutes. Lift out, squeeze gently, halve any large ones and rinse to remove grit. Strain and keep the soaking liquid. (If using fresh morels, rinse quickly and halve.)
5. Blanch the broad beans for 1 minute, refresh in iced water and slip off the grey skins. Blanch the peas for 1 minute and refresh. Set both aside.
6. For the sauce base, sweat the shallots in 20g butter until soft but not coloured, 4 minutes. Add the morels and cook 3 minutes. Pour in the vermouth and reduce to a glaze, then add the reduced stock plus 3 tbsp of the strained morel liquor and reduce by half. Add the cream and simmer to a light coating consistency. Keep warm.
7. Cut the pressed sweetbreads into 4cm pieces. Season and dust lightly with flour, patting off the excess.
8. Heat the oil in a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the sweetbreads and fry 2-3 minutes until deeply golden. Turn, add 40g cold butter and, as it foams, baste continuously for 2 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and rest on paper for a minute.
9. Return the sauce to a simmer, add the peas and broad beans and warm through for 1 minute. Whisk in the last 20g cold butter off the heat, stir in the chives and tarragon, and check the seasoning.
10. Spoon the peas, beans and morels into warm shallow bowls, top with the crisp sweetbreads, spoon over the sauce and finish with flaky salt.