Queen City Grill
Executive Chef Shannon Marinos*
SEARED SWEETBREADS WITH ROASTED
CORN POLENTA, TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE AND BALSAMIC
REDUCTION
Tarragon Vinaigrette
½ c. picked tarragon
¼ c. white wine vinegar
1/8 c. lemon juice
1 Tbl. Dijon mustard
1 c. pomice or canola oil
1 Tbl. honey
salt & pepper to taste
In blender, combine lemon
juice, Dijon and vinegar. Blend until mixed. Slowly
drizzle in oil until emulsified and add in honey,
tarragon and s&p.
Make at least one day ahead and
let it sit so the tarragon flavors can infuse with
other ingredients.
Balsamic Reduction
1.5 c. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbl. honey
Combine in a small sauce pan
and put over medium heat. Reduce gently to about ¼
c. and reserve at room temp.
Taste after reduced. If it is
at all bitter or too tart add some more honey. Can
be made 1-2 days ahead.
Polenta
4 c. water
1 c. 2% milk
¼ # salted butter
1.5 c. polenta
2 c. roasted corn
½ c. grated parmesan
salt & pepper to taste
Combine water, milk and butter
in sauce pot and bring to a boil. Whisk in polenta
and reduce heat to low-med. When polenta is close to
desired consistency add corn, parm and s&p. Pour
out onto a sheet pan, smooth over the top and
refrigerate. When cooled, turn sheet pan over onto
cutting board and tap out polenta. Cut portions
into desired shapes (circle, square, monkey paw).
Can be done a day ahead.
More salt will be needed than
you think so add it early as it is cooking and you
don't have to mess around too much at the end. Once
you pour in the polenta, don't stop whisking until
it is finished.
Sweetbreads
1.5- 2 # veal sweet breads
8 c. water
2 c. white wine
2 bay leaves
5 ea. whole black peppercorn
In a medium sauce pot bring
water, wine, bay leaves and peppercorns to boil. Add
the sweetbreads, reduce the heat and simmer for
about 3 minutes. Remove the sweetbreads and cool
completely in an ice bath. Drain and pat dry.
Remove any excess membrane or fat. Line a large
plate or sheet pan with parchment paper. Cut
portions from the lobe and place on parchment
paper. Once portioned cover with another piece of
parchment paper and put another plate or sheet pan
on top. Use something to weigh this down for about
an hour. Remove from weight and pat dry.
Refrigerate overnight.
Don't use too much weight on
the sweetbreads. They should compress a bit, not be
flattened. Find a butcher you like and trust to be
using good product. Ask the butcher for the heart
lobe of the sweetbreads as it has less membrane and
sinew to clean.
To Prepare
Heat your polenta. You can do this in the oven,
on a grill or in a sauté pan. In the restaurant we
do this on our grill. With any of these methods
start with a thin brush of oil on the crust side of
the polenta and start with that side first as to
brown or mark your presentation side. While the
polenta is working get a sauté pan hot. Dredge the
sweetbreads in flour and shake off excess.
When your pan is hot, add some oil and a bit of
butter. Lay the sweetbreads in the pan, being
careful not to crowd them. Brown them well on the
first side and then flip and quickly finish on
second side. Remove and let rest on a paper towel to
release some of the oil.
To Plate
On each plate make a medium
size pool of vinaigrette, place the polenta next to
it and lean the sweetbreads against polenta into the
vinaigrette. With a spoon, drizzle the balsamic
reduction over everything, especially the
sweetbreads, and serve.
Click here
to see Shannon's tip
* No longer at Queen City Grill
February 2008 |
