PAN-FRIED LAMB SWEETBREADS WITH GARLIC, CHILLI & PARSLEY

A lot of people like to blanch their sweetbreads before frying, but I think you lose flavour this way – and if your sweetbreads are really good quality and fresh, this extra cooking stage isn’t necessary.

FOR 4

800g lamb sweetbreads

80ml pomace or light olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

20g unsalted butter

2 fresh red chillies, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

100g roast almonds, crushed into large pieces

Remove the white skin from the sweetbreads (this is the fattiest part).

Heat the olive oil in a pan, then add the sweetbreads. They are very delicate and quite milky, so you need to leave them in the pan for 2–3 minutes before turning (if you try to turn them too early they will break up). Season with salt and pepper. When the sweetbreads are caramelized, add the butter and cook until they turn golden and crispy.

Add the chillies, garlic, parsley and almonds. Fry everything for 30 seconds, just to combine, then season and eat straight away with bread.