Sweet on Sweetbreads

The safe L.A. cliches found on most menus--tuna tartare, chicken Caesar, crab cakes--are being joined both at new eateries and old haunts by an unlikely novelty: sweetbreads. Though this delicacy has long been beloved by chefs, the audience has been less than effusive.

Blame it on a lack of adventurous culinary spirit. “Angelenos will stick needles of toxin into their face, but God forbid they should eat anything unfamiliar,” says Stephane Beaucamp, executive chef at Vermont restaurant. On the other hand, “I’d like to have the thymus gland, please,” is not a conversation one envisions having with a waiter. Even masked by euphemism--the name derives from the Old English braed, or flesh--sweetbreads have not been a craving for the squeamish.

Until now. Beaucamp attributes the trend to an emerging openness that’s a reaction to “the bland chicken breasts they forced themselves to eat for the last 10 years.” At Table 8, Govind Armstrong says his protein-happy Atkins devotees are ordering sweetbreads, while the diners at Spago in Beverly Hills have been treated to a complimentary course of sweetbreads when ordering the chef’s tasting menu. “People will eat what’s free,” says Spago chef/proprietor Lee Hefter. “Then they find they like it.”

It would be hard not to like Hefter’s sweet-sour quince and date puree that cuts the richness of crispy cooked sweetbreads. Or the grilled pancetta-wrapped sweetbreads Mark Peel floats atop a puffy mound of polenta at Campanile. It’s a long way from the traditional French and Italian versions in rich cream sauces.

Sweetbreads were thought to be an aphrodisiac in 18th century Europe, when Madame du Barry employed their charms to seduce Louis XV. They found favor in Colonial America, particularly among Shakers who had extensive herds of calves, which produce more delicate tasting sweetbreads than lamb or beef cattle.

Sweetbreads remained popular with American home cooks until the late 1800s, when the rise of corporate-style slaughterhouses and the advent of the refrigerated railroad car meant sweetbreads were increasingly shipped to high-volume buyers and less to local markets.

Distribution practices may once again be changing sweetbread consumption. Until recently, restaurants had to buy sweetbreads in bulk shipments of 10 pounds or more, which meant an entire bag had to be thawed and used. Now suppliers are selling bags of individually wrapped portions, making sweetbreads affordable, says Harvey Gussman of Guss Meat Co., which has tripled its sweetbread sales to local restaurateurs in the past five years.

Still uncertain about sweetbreads? Then indulge in another L.A. cliche and try a salad--with sweetbreads on the side.

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Sweetbread Salad with Hazelnut Vinaigrette

(Adapted from a recipe by Stephane Beaucamp, Vermont Restaurant)

Serves 4 as a main course

1 pound sweetbreads

2 1/2 cups milk

1 egg, blended with 2 tablespoons milk

2 cups finely ground fresh breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons hazelnut oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 packed tablespoon minced tarragon

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Salad

12 ounces asparagus, peeled, ends trimmed, cooked

1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted, husked and coarsely chopped

6 ounces small cremini or chanterelle mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes

7 cups (about 6 ounces) mixed greens

Place sweetbreads in a small saucepan. Cover completely with milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Gently remove large pieces of membrane, keeping sweetbreads as intact as possible.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Place sweetbreads on baking sheet. Cover with waxed paper and a second baking sheet. Place weights, such as canned goods, on top of second sheet. Refrigerate at least 2 hours to firm, or overnight.

Rinse sweetbreads and pat dry with paper towels. Line a clean baking sheet with waxed paper. Slice sweetbreads into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Dip first into egg wash and then into breadcrumbs, patting so they adhere. Place on baking sheet and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

For vinaigrette, whisk lemon juice, vinegar and mustard together in a small bowl. Whisk in oils a drop at a time. Stir in shallot and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut asparagus into 4-inch lengths. Place in a large salad bowl with hazelnuts, mushrooms, tomatoes and greens.

Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add sweetbreads and cook until brown and crisp on each side, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper. Toss ingredients in salad bowl with enough vinaigrette to coat lightly. Divide on 4 dinner plates. Place sweetbreads around edges. Serve immediately.