Boston Cooking-School Cook Book/Chapter 15

by Fannie Farmer

Chapter XV. SWEETBREADS.

A SWEETBREAD is the thymus gland of lamb or calf, but in cookery, veal sweetbreads only are considered. It is prenatally developed, of unknown function, and as soon as calf is taken from liquid food it gradually disappears. Pancreas, stomach sweetbread, is sold in some sections of the country, but in our markets this custom is not practised. Sweetbreads are a reputed table delicacy, and a valuable addition to the menu of the convalescent.

A sweetbread consists of two parts, connected by tubing and membranes. The round, compact part is called the heart sweetbread, as its position is nearer the heart; the other part is called the throat sweetbread. When sweetbread is found in market separated, avoid buying two of the throat sweetbreads, as the heart sweetbread is more desirable.

Sweetbreads spoil very quickly. They should be removed from paper as soon as received from market, plunged into cold water and allowed to stand one hour, drained, and put into acidulated salted boiling water then allowed to cook slowly twenty minutes; again drained, and plunged into cold water, that they may be kept white and firm. Sweetbreads are always parboiled in this manner for subsequent cooking.

Broiled Sweetbread

Parboil a sweetbread, split cross-wise, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and broil five minutes. Serve with Lemon Butter.

Creamed Sweetbread

Parboil a sweetbread, and cut in one-half inch cubes, or separate in small pieces. Reheat in one cup White Sauce II. Creamed Sweetbread may be served on toast, or used as filling for patty cases or Swedish Timbales.

Creamed Sweetbread and Chicken

Reheat equal parts of cold cooked chicken, and sweetbread cut in dice, in White Sauce II.

Sweetbread à la Poulette

Reheat sweetbread, cut in cubes, in one cup Béchamel Sauce.

Sweetbreads, Country Style

Parboil sweetbreads, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour. Arrange in baking-dish, brush over with melted butter, allowing two tablespoons to each pair of sweetbreads, and cover with thin slices fat salt pork. Bake in a hot oven over twenty-five minutes, basting twice during the cooking, and remove pork during the last five minutes of the cooking.

Larded Sweetbread

Parboil a sweetbread, lard the upper side, and bake until well browned, basting with Meat Glaze.

Sweetbreads à la Napoli

Parboil a large sweetbread and cut in eight pieces. Cook in hot frying-pan with a small quantity of butter, adding enough beef extract to give sweetbread a glazed appearance. Cut bread in slices, shape with a circular cutter three and one-half inches in diameter, and toast. Spread each piece with two tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese seasoned with salt and paprika and moistened with two tablespoons heavy cream. Arrange one piece of sweetbread on each piece of toast and season with salt and pepper. Put in individual glass-covered dishes, having two tablespoons cream in each dish. Cover each piece of sweetbread with sautéd mushroom cap, put on glass covers, and bake in a moderate oven eight minutes.

Braised Sweetbreads Eugénie

Parboil a sweetbread in Sherry wine twelve minutes. Drain, cool, cut in four pieces, and lard. Cook in frying-pan same as Sweetbreads à la Napoli. Peel mushroom caps, cover with Sherry wine, let stand one hour, drain, and sauté in butter. Arrange on circular pieces of toast, over each of which has been poured one teaspoon wine drained from mushroom caps, and season with salt and pepper. Pile five or six mushroom caps on each piece of sweetbread, add two tablespoons heavy cream, and bake in a moderate oven, eight minutes. Cook in individual glass-covered dishes.

Sweetbread Cutlets with Asparagus Tips

Parboil a sweetbread, split, and cut in pieces shaped like a small cutlet, or cut in circular pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in crumbs, egg, and crumbs, and sauté in butter. Arrange in a circle around Creamed Asparagus Tips.

Sweetbread with Tomato Sauce

Prepare as Sweetbread Cutlets with Asparagus Tips, sauté in butter or fry in deep fat, and serve with Tomato Sauce.

Sweetbread and Bacon

Parboil a sweetbread, cut in small pieces, dip in flour, egg, and crumbs, and arrange alternately with pieces of bacon on small skewers, having four pieces sweetbread and three of bacon on each skewer. Fry in deep fat, and drain. Arrange in a circle around mound of green peas.