Warm Sweetbread Salad With Haricots Verts, Wild Mushrooms, Recipe

Soak the sweetbreads in a large bowl of cold water for 3 hours, changing
the water several times. Then remove the sweetbreads from the water and
gently pull away as much of the outer membrane as you can, being careful
not to tear the flesh. Soak the sweetbreads again for 1 hour, this time in
a large bowl of cold water with 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Remove from the
water and peel away more of the membrane. Separate the sweetbreads into its
2 lobes.

Fill a medium saucepan with 5 cups cold water, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and
the white wine vinegar. Place the sweetbreads in the pan and slowly bring
the water to a simmer over moderate heat (this should take about 10
minutes). Allow the water to simmer very gently for another 5 minutes. (The
sweetbreads should be firm on the outside, but still give a little when
squeezed). Remove sweetbreads and place them in ice water for 10 minutes to
stop the cooking.

Dry sweetbreads and place in a heavy loaf pan or a terrine lined with
plastic wrap. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap. Place another heavy
loaf pan or terrine on top to weigh down the sweetbreads, and place in the
refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and cook
haricots verts until they are crisp but slightly tender, about 5 minutes.
Remove and reserve at room temperature.

In a small bowl combine the lemon juice with the balsamic vinegar and 1
tablespoon of the shallots. Slowly whisk in the hazelnut oil. Season to
taste with salt and the additional black pepper. Reserve.

Place 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderately
high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add remaining shallots and
saute, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, making sure the
pan is not overcrowded. (It may be necessary to saute the mushrooms in 2
batches). Saute with a big pinch of salt, shaking the pan occasionally,
until mushrooms are nicely browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove mushrooms
from skillet and reserve. If there is liquid in the pan that the mushrooms
have given off, boil it until it is reduced to 1 to 2 tablespoons and pour
over the mushrooms.

With a very sharp knife, cut the weighted sweetbreads into broad slices
that are about 1/4 inch thick. Combine the flour, the remaining 2 teaspoons
of coarse salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on a plate and mix
well. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet in
which the mushrooms cooked, and place over high heat. Dredge sweetbread
slices in the seasoned flour on both sides and add to hot oil. Saute,
turning, until sweetbreads are browned and crispy on the outside, about 3
minutes. Remove.

Toss reserved haricots verts and mushrooms together. Toss mixture with
about half the hazelnut vinaigrette. Place one-fourth of the mixture on
each of 4 plates. Nestle pieces of the crispy sweetbread slices among the
haricots verts/ mushroom mixture, and drizzle the remaining vinaigrette
over the sweetbread slices. Garnish with chervil.

Yield: 4 first course servings

Suggested drink: Domaine Laroche Chablis Premier Crus, Les Fourchaumes 1987