SOUTHERN FRIED SWEETBREADS

By BobD

Ingredients

• 6 SERVINGS
• If you want to take things to the next level, tuck the nuggets into a hollowed-out baguette with shredded lettuce, then smear on the Green Goddess and some hot sauce for an out-of-this-world po boy.
• 2 lb veal sweetbreads, rinsed
• 1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
• 12 About 12 cups vegetable oil (96 fl oz)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons paprika (not hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• EQUIPMENT: a deep-fat thermometer
• ACCOMPANIMENT: green goddess sauce

Details

Servings 6
Adapted from gourmet.com

Preparation

Step 1

Soak sweetbreads in a large bowl of ice water in the refrigerator, changing water occasionally (2 or 3 times), at least 8 hours.

Drain sweetbreads and transfer to a 4-qt heavy saucepan. Cover with cold water by 1 inch and add 1 tsp salt.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until sweetbreads plump and feel slightly firmer to the touch, about 3 minutes.

Drain in a colander and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking.

Cut away any fat and pull away as much membrane and connective tissue as possible with a small paring knife, then separate with your fingers into roughly 2-inch pieces.

Whisk buttermilk with 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Add sweetbreads and soak, chilled, 1 hour.

About 10 minutes before sweetbreads are finished soaking in buttermilk, start heating 2 inches oil to 350F in a 5-qt wide heavy pot over medium heat.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, paprika, cayenne, and 1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper in a shallow dish.

Put a metal cooling rack in a 4-sided sheet pan and preheat oven to 400F.

Drain sweetbreads well, discarding buttermilk.

Dredge in flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then fry in 3 batches until golden and cooked through (cut one open to test), 3 to 3 1/2 minutes, depending on size.

Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season lightly with salt.

Keep warm on rack in oven. (Return oil to 350 between batches.)

Serve fried sweetbreads immediately.