CookEat Recipe
Sweetbread Croquettes
Small diced sweetbreads bound with thick balsamella, egg yolk and Parmesan, shaped into short spools and twice crumbed before frying.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 150 g professionally trimmed food-grade veal sweetbreads; 10 g butter for the sweetbreads; About 80 ml ready-to-use cooked meat jus, plus a little water if needed; Salt, black pepper and a small pinch of ground nutmeg; For a small batch of thick balsamella: 10 g butter, 10 g plain flour and 100 ml milk; use only 2 tablespoons of the finished sauce; 1 egg yolk for the filling; 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan; 1 additional whole egg, beaten, for coating; About 80 g fine dry breadcrumbs; About 600 ml suitable frying oil, or enough for the pan; only part is absorbed.
Step 2
Pat the prepared sweetbreads dry. Heat the 10 g butter, add the sweetbreads and turn gently for about 2 minutes. Add the cooked meat jus and simmer gently for about 15–20 minutes until tender and at least 74°C throughout, adding a little water if the pan dries. Cut into small dice after cooking.
Step 3
Make the thick balsamella: melt its 10 g butter, stir in the 10 g flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually stir in the milk and cook gently for about 5–8 minutes until the flour is fully cooked and the sauce very thick and smooth. Measure 2 tablespoons for the filling; refrigerate any surplus promptly for another use.
Step 4
Combine the diced sweetbreads with the measured 2 tablespoons balsamella, the yolk, Parmesan, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir briefly over gentle heat until the egg-containing mixture reaches 74°C. Spread shallowly, cool promptly and refrigerate about 30 minutes until firm enough to shape.
Step 5
Drop small spoonfuls into the breadcrumbs and shape into 10–12 short, slightly waisted spool-like croquettes. Dip each in the additional beaten whole egg, then coat again in breadcrumbs. Heat the oil to about 170°C and fry in small batches for about 3–5 minutes, turning, until golden and heated throughout to 74°C. Drain and serve hot, alone or as part of a mixed fry.
Step 6
For the source onion alternative, replace the meat jus with 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion gently softened in the same 10 g butter before adding the sweetbreads. Add about 80 ml water as needed and simmer until tender and at least 74°C, then dice and complete the same sauce, shaping and frying steps.
Step 7
For the richer source variation, add about 20 g fat-and-lean prosciutto and 20 g cooked ready-to-eat salted beef tongue, both in small dice, to the filling. Omit the nutmeg and use about 5 g fresh food-grade culinary truffle in small pieces instead. Heat the mixed filling to 74°C, chill, shape, double-crumb and fry as above. These additional quantities are estimates.
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