Roasted Sweetbreads with Bacon and Truffle Sauce

Yield: 6 servings

Preparation time is 2 days

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds sweetbreads (750 grams)
• vegetable oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 ½ cups mirepoix (12 ounces)
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 4 cups veal or chicken stock (1 litre)
• 8 slices bacon, cut into lardons
• 2 cups veal stock
• 1 ounce butter
• truffle oil
• whole black truffle

Directions

1. Soak the sweetbreads in water for at least 6 hours, changing the water every couple of hours.
2. Drain the sweetbreads and fill a pot with water, add a large pinch of salt. Slide the sweetbreads gently in to the water and simmer for two minutes. Drain them, place them in ice water to cool and drain again.
3. Trim any fat or membranes from the sweetbreads and put them on a towel-lined baking sheet. Cover with another towel and put another baking sheet on top with some light weights. The sweetbreads should compress to about 3 centimetres thick. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
4. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan. Season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper and drop them in to sauté until golden brown. Add the herbs, the mirepoix and chicken or veal stock and poach them, at a simmer, for 5 minutes. Remove the sweetbreads from the poaching liquid.
5. If using immediately, cut the sweetbreads into 3 centimetre thick slices. Add the bacon pieces to a frying pan and sauté until the fat begins to render. Season the sweetbread slices and add them to the frying lardons. Cook for a minute and baste the tops with any extra fat. Move the frying pan to the oven to bake for 10 to 15 minutes, turning them after about half the cooking time.
6. Meanwhile, put the veal stock on to reduce. Simmer until a cupful remains. Stir in the butter and add a few drops of truffle oil.
7. Serve the sweetbreads with the truffle sauce poured around, slices of truffle on top and decorated with chives.