- 6
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
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.