innards
Lamb’s Tongue with Mâche and Piquillo Peppers
LAMB’S TONGUE with MÂCHE and PIQUILLO PEPPERS
Every time I pass the Basque Hotel in San Francisco’s North Beach, not far from my restaurants, I think about the large number of immigrants who settled throughout California and the West after the gold rush, and how hotels and boardinghouses were at the center of their lives. Hotels were places to celebrate weddings, birthdays, and baptisms, and boardinghouses offered food, lodging, and familiar community to newly arrived (and often lonely) men seeking their fortunes. This is the kind of dish I imagine being served family style at one of those boardinghouses.
Basque cooks know how to use offal and consider it a waste, if not a sacrilege, to throw away any part of an animal. Lamb’s tongue is considered a delicacy, and when prepared properly—simmered leisurely until tender, skinned, and trimmed of all bones, fat, and gristle before slicing—it is a delicious addition to salads with a vinaigrette that contrasts with the succulent meat. (See photo.) 
Serves 4 to 6
1¼ pounds lamb’s tongues (about 6)
1 carrot, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
1 onion, quartered lengthwise
1 celery stalk, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
5 garlic cloves, left whole
Bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley wrapped in a cheesecloth sachet or tied with kitchen twine
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 large shallot, julienned lengthwise
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaf chiffonade
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups mâche leaves
3 piquillo peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips
Fleur de sel or other coarse sea salt for finishing
In a large saucepan, combine the tongues, carrot, onion, celery, garlic, bouquet garni, peppercorns, and water to cover the tongues by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook uncovered (adding more water if necessary) for 1½ hours, or until the tongues are tender when pierced with a fork but still offer a little resistance.
Transfer the tongues to a plate and let cool just until you can handle them. Peel off the skin and trim away any fat, small bones, and gristle from the underside (base) of the tongues. If cooking the tongues in advance, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, return the peeled tongues to the broth, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat the tongues gently until warm in the broth before serving, or remove from the broth and bring the tongues to room temperature.
(The broth can be discarded if you’re not using it to store the tongues.)
To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, mint, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, cut the warm or room-temperature tongues crosswise into ¾-inch-thick slices and place on each of 4 plates. Top with mounds of mâche and the
piquillo peppers, dividing them evenly. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, and sprinkle with the sea salt.
Many American wine drinkers still think of rosés as sweet and cheap, but nothing could be further from the truth. Travel throughout Spain and France and you will find serious, complex, bone-dry versions made from a variety of grapes. A Rioja rosé is a sound match for this dish. L D F
Calf’s Liver and Caramelized Shallot Brochettes
CALF’S LIVER and CARAMELIZED SHALLOT BROCHETTES
I grew up with a mother, who like all good nurturing mothers everywhere, encouraged her children to eat liver because it was good for them. She didn’t have to work too hard to convince me because I have always liked organ meats, particularly calf’s liver, which when properly cooked is tender and subtly flavored. Onions are a classic accompaniment, but in an unusual presentation, I thread lightly sautéed cubes of liver and whole caramelized shallots onto skewers and serve them drizzled with a tart-salty pan sauce of capers and lemon juice. Serves 4
8 small to medium shallots
1 generous tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ pound calf’s liver
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
Juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
To make the shallots, in a small skillet, combine the shallots, butter, sugar, salt, and 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat a little and cook at a vigorous simmer, uncovered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the shallots are tender when pierced with a knife and the water has evaporated. As the shallots cook, use tongs to turn them a few times so they cook evenly, adding more water if necessary to prevent sticking before the shallots are ready. When they are done, they should be tender throughout, golden, and glazed. Transfer the shallots to a plate and set the skillet aside while you prepare the liver. (The shallots can be cooked up to 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature.)
Trim away any skin and membrane from the liver, and cut into 8 equal cubes. Pat the cubes dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
Place a paper towel–lined plate near the stove top. Heat the same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and warm it until it ripples. Arrange the liver cubes in the pan in a single layer without touching. (If they do not fit comfortably, cook them in 2 batches.) Cook, turning once with tongs, for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. (How long you cook them depends on the thickness of the pieces and the doneness you prefer. I like them pink-red in the center.)
Transfer to the towel-lined plate to drain. Turn off the heat but leave the skillet on the burner. Immediately add the capers, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and parsley to the pan and swirl the pan or stir the contents to combine the ingredients into a sauce.
To serve, have ready 4 small bamboo skewers. Alternately thread 2 liver cubes and 2 shallots onto each skewer. Arrange the skewers on a platter and pour the sauce over the top.
Sherry is probably the most undervalued of the great classic wines, and few wine types have as much variety in a single category. Calf’s liver, which can be amazingly sweet and at the same time beefy and unctuous, pairs well with a nutty and raisiny, yet dry amontillado. B D
The Basques have had a centuries-old love affair with hard apple cider (called sidra or sagardoa), and even today they continue to visit cider houses in the winter for barrel tastings. Fans of both hard cider and morcilla, Spain’s popular blood sausage, will appreciate their marriage in this dish in which the cider—and fresh apples—highlight the inherent sweet spiciness of the sausage. It is a good addition to a tapas spread, or can be served as a main course for a modest lunch, with just crusty bread for sopping up the juices and maybe a tart arugula salad. See the Pantry for a fuller description of the blood sausage. Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith or other tart green apples, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes
1½ cups hard cider
Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves for garnish
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and warm it until it ripples. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is softened and lightly browned. Add the sausage slices and continue to cook, stirring a few times, for about 2 minutes, or until the slices have begun to brown slightly. Add the apples and cider and bring to a boil. Stir, cover, and cook, still over medium-high heat, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the apples are still somewhat firm. Uncover, stir, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until the liquid reduces a bit.
To serve, using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausages and apples to a warmed rimmed platter or plate. Reduce the liquid over high heat until thickened slightly, stir in the piment d’Espelette, and pour over the sausages and apples. Sprinkle with the parsley.
Here, the cooking liquid is also the best choice for the table, pairing well with the sweetness of the apples and the intensely flavored sausage. Pour a traditional Basque hard cider, such as Bereziartua, available online (see
Sources).
L FCRISPED PIG’S TROTTERS with EGG and FRESH HERB SALAD
Even people who confess their love for pork seem to shy away from pig’s feet, or trotters. That surprises me because some of the best meat on the hog is found on the foot. Trotters do, however, require quite a bit of work on the part of the cook, which is probably the reason more avid pork eaters don’t prepare them. Although this recipe requires commitment in terms of time and effort, none of the steps is difficult and all of them must be done in advance, making it a great dish for entertaining. The trickiest task is to form the boned meat into a log, though it sounds more difficult than it is. It is easiest to pick the meat from the feet while they are still warm, so wear gloves to protect your hands from the heat. Then you need to “mush up” the skin and meat to release their natural gelatin, which will help hold the chilled log together. The log is sliced and finished with a coating of bread crumbs, and served with a salad to create a textural and acidic contrast to the rich meat.
2½ pounds pig’s trotters (about 3)
1 carrot, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
1 celery stalk, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
1 small onion, studded with 3 whole cloves
1½ teaspoons black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons dried juniper berries
Bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley wrapped in a cheesecloth sachet or tied with kitchen twine
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Leaves from 1 or 2 sprigs each tarragon, chervil, flat-leaf parsley, and chives, or whatever is on hand, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups mixed salad greens
Aged balsamic vinegar for drizzling
Fruity extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
In a large saucepan, combine the pig’s trotters, carrot, celery, onion, peppercorns, juniper berries, bouquet garni, 2 teaspoons of the salt, white vinegar, and water to cover the trotters by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 3 hours, or until the trotters are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Transfer the trotters to a bowl and let cool just until you can handle them. Discard the broth or strain and reserve for another use. Using your fingers (gloves help protect from the heat), remove the bones from the trotters, keeping the meat and skin intact as much as possible. Still using your hand, crush the meat and skin into small pieces. Add the shallot, mustard, sherry vinegar, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste and mix well.
To form the trotter meat into a log, place a piece of plastic wrap about 18 inches long by 11½ inches wide on a work surface, with the long edge parallel to the edge of the counter. (Sprinkle the underside with a little water to help keep it in place.) Place the trotter meat on the plastic wrap, positioning it near the center but closer to the counter edge, and shape it into a
10-inch-long log. Lift the edge of the plastic wrap nearest you up over the meat and tuck it in a little around the log. Using a straightedge such as a ruler or the blunt edge of a chef’s knife, press in against the plastic, fitting it tightly against the meat and shaping the meat into an even log. The log should be about 9 inches long by 3 inches in diameter. Simultaneously twist the ends of the plastic wrap in opposite directions to compress the log into a tight roll. Tie each twisted end with kitchen twine to secure, and refrigerate the trotter roll for at least overnight or up to 2 days.
To make the egg salad, in a bowl, stir together the eggs, shallot, mustard, sherry vinegar, olive oil, and herbs until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in a covered container until serving or up to 1 day ahead.
To serve, preheat the oven to 500°F.
Leaving the plastic on, and using a sharp slicing or chef’s knife, cut the log into 6 equal rounds each about 1½ inches thick. Carefully remove the plastic wrap from each round, and spread both cut sides of each round with a little of the mustard. Press the bread crumbs on both sides of each round, dividing them evenly. Heat a large nonstick skillet or sauté pan over high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and warm it until it ripples. Add the trotter rounds, cut side down, and cook for about 1 minute, or until browned. Using tongs or a spatula, carefully turn the rounds over and transfer the pan to the oven (if the pan doesn’t fit in the oven, transfer the rounds to a rimmed baking sheet). Bake the rounds for about 5 minutes, or until heated through.
To serve, place each hot trotter round on an individual plate, and arrange a small mound of the egg salad alongside. Place the greens in a bowl, drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, and toss to coat evenly. Serve the greens alongside the trotter rounds and egg salad, and then lightly drizzle the rounds with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.
This dish is loaded with strong flavors and unctuous textures, and you need a wine that will cut through and balance them. A light, fruity, and well-structured young (joven) Rioja, served slightly chilled, is an excellent companion. L D F
My mother and father were both good cooks, and both of them had definite opinions about how things should be done in the kitchen. But this dish was my father’s—his alone—so my mother never said a word about it. I like to call it the “tripe of my father,” aita being the Basque word for “father.” It is a rustic family-style dish that satisfies the appetite and nourishes the soul.
As you cook honeycomb tripe, it will throw off a lot of liquid, which eliminates the need for stock and flavors the sauce. Like most braises, this tastes even better the next day. Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive or grape seed oil
1 large onion, sliced ¼ inch thick or thinner
½ cup garlic cloves, chopped
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips
1½ pounds honeycomb beef tripe, purchased partially cooked, cut into 1-inch squares
1 large, ripe tomato, cored and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley wrapped in a cheesecloth sachet or tied with kitchen twine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and warm it until it ripples. Add the onion, garlic, and bell peppers, stir, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and begun to turn golden. Stir in the tripe, tomato, and tomato paste and add the bouquet garni and enough water to just barely cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until the tripe is tender when pierced with a fork (or try biting into a piece).
Remove from the heat. If the tripe and vegetables have given off a lot of liquid and the sauce seems thin, strain the contents of the pan and set the tripe and vegetables aside. Return the liquid to the pan, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1½ cups. Stir the tripe and vegetables into the reduced sauce and season with salt and pepper. Decrease the heat to medium to reheat the tripe and thicken the sauce further. The dish should be stewlike, neither soupy nor dry. (At this point, the dish can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat before continuing.)
To serve, preheat the broiler. Transfer the tripe, vegetables, and sauce to a broiler-proof shallow gratin dish or 4 individual baking dishes. Scatter the bread crumbs evenly on top, and broil until golden.
This dish calls for something not too heavy or too fruity. A dry Tempranillo from Penedès, in Catalonia, is perfect. M D
OXTAIL EMPANADAS with SPICY MANGO DIP
This recipe is time-consuming, but the results are worth the effort. When I serve these empanadas at parties, they always disappear. The recipe can be doubled or even tripled and made in stages, over several days, and then the pastries can be frozen. Sometimes I even dig a couple of empanadas out of the freezer and cook them for my lunch.
The empanada dough can be made by hand, but it is quicker and easier to prepare in a food processor and it is less likely to become tough from overhandling. If your processor is not large enough to handle three and three-quarter cups flour, make the dough in two batches. Feel free to use a store-bought pie or tart dough to make the recipe even easier (you’ll need about two pounds). Makes about 40 empanadas
2 pounds oxtails, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 onion, chopped
8 garlic cloves, left whole, plus 1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
Bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley wrapped in a cheesecloth sachet or tied with kitchen twine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, minced
5 small fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
¼ cup sherry vinegar
2 large mangoes, peeled, pitted, and roughly chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water
In a large saucepan, combine the oxtails, carrot, celery, onion, 8 whole garlic cloves, peppercorns, bouquet garni, and water to cover the oxtails by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to maintain a simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours, or until the oxtails are very tender when pierced with a fork.
Transfer the cooked oxtails to a bowl and let cool just until you can handle them. Discard the broth or strain and reserve for another use. Using your fingers (gloves help protect from the heat), remove the meat from the bones, and discard the bones along with any fat and gristle. You should have about 3 cups (1 pound) meat. Coarsely chop the meat and transfer to a bowl.
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and warm it until it ripples. Add the shallot and minced garlic and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, or until they are soft but not browned. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, or until they have softened. Season with salt and pepper, add the wine, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until the wine has evaporated. Remove from the heat, add to the oxtail meat, and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day before making the empanadas.
To make the mango dip, in a skillet, whisk together the sugar and vinegar. Stir over high heat until the vinegar is boiling and the sugar is melted. Add the mangoes, stir to combine, and decrease the heat to medium. Stir in the
piment d’Espelette and
cook for about 6 minutes, or until the mangoes are soft. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and mash the mangoes with a fork, leaving them a little chunky. Stir in the lemon juice and salt to taste. Set aside. (The dip can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.) Stir in the basil just before serving.
Remove 1 pastry disk from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to make it easier to roll out. (Take the second disk out of the refrigerator to soften just before you begin to roll out the first disk.) On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough ⅛ inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out as many circles as possible. You should have about 20 circles. Gather the scraps and reroll them if necessary to yield what you need. Put the circles on a baking sheet and refrigerate them. Repeat with the second dough disk.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. To fill the empanadas, roll 1 circle a little in one direction so that it becomes slightly oblong. Brush the edges with the egg wash, and mound 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center. Lift a long side of the circle and fold to create a half-moon, pressing the edges to seal. (To make the edges more decorative, you can crimp them like the edge of a pie crust or press them with the tines of a fork.) Repeat until all of the dough circles are filled. Place the empanadas on the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before baking. (At this point, the empanadas can be frozen for up to 2 months.)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the empanadas for 30 minutes, or until golden brown (bake them straight from the freezer, adding about 15 minutes more time). Transfer to a rack and let cool slightly or to room temperature. Serve with the mango dip alongside.
Makes about 2 pounds
3¾ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1¼ cups (2½ sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¾ cup ice water
To make the dough, in a food processor, add the flour and salt and pulse a few times to combine. Bury the butter cubes and pulse just until the mixture forms crumbs, with some pea-size (and smaller) pieces. If you do it all in one batch, even a large food processor, you may need to stir up the mixture from the bottom with a spatula (being careful of the blade) to make sure everything is well combined. With the machine running, slowly add ½ cup of the water through the feed tube and pulse until the dough just begins to come together. If the dough is too dry and doesn’t come together if you pinch it, pulse in more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, adding no more than ¼ cup. Transfer the dough to a work surface, gather it together, knead it quickly with your hands so it becomes cohesive, and divide it in half. Flatten each half into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap well in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (to allow the gluten to relax) or up to 2 days. The dough can also be frozen for 1 month, and thawed in the refrigerator before use.
The very hot, dry region of Jumilla is planted primarily with the strong, resilient Monastrell grape, which produces generous, dry, fruity wines. A blend from Jumilla, such as Caracol Serrano, is lush and spicy and a good value, and is a terrific out-of-the-ordinary choice for this mix of buttery pastry and meaty oxtail. B D F
BRAISED VEAL SWEETBREADS in MADEIRA
Sweetbreads, which are mild tasting and readily soak up the flavors of other ingredients, seem to have the widest appeal of all the organ meats. They’re not difficult to prepare, but if undercooked they’ll be too chewy and if overcooked too dry. This recipe has three steps—soaking the sweetbreads, poaching them briefly, and then braising them in wine—which yield perfectly tender, succulent little morsels. I like this preparation for its classic simplicity. Serves 4
1 pound veal sweetbreads
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1½ teaspoons black peppercorns
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil or grape seed oil
¼ cup ¼-inch-dice carrot
¼ cup ¼-inch-dice celery
¼ cup ¼-inch-dice onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup Madeira
Bouquet garni of 5 or 6 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 6 to 8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley wrapped in a cheesecloth sachet or tied with kitchen twine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sherry vinegar
Place the sweetbreads in a bowl with cold water to cover and let soak, changing the water every 20 minutes, for 1 to 2 hours, or until the water is clear. Drain the sweetbreads and place in a medium saucepan with the vinegar, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, ½ teaspoon salt, and water to cover by 1 inch. Refill the bowl with ice water, and have it ready near your work surface.
Place the pan over high heat, bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Drain the sweetbreads, discarding the cooking liquid, transfer them to the ice water, and let cool completely. Peel off and discard the membranes from the sweetbreads, and cut the sweetbreads into 1½-inch pieces. Set aside.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil and warm it until it ripples. Add the carrot, celery, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened and are beginning to brown slightly. Add the sweetbreads and cook, turning once, for 2 minutes total, or until browned on both sides. Add the Madeira, bring to a boil, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add the stock and bouquet garni, season with salt and pepper, and bring back to a boil. Decrease the heat to maintain a low simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sweetbreads and vegetables to a plate and discard the bouquet garni. Increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce is reduced to 1½ cups. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measuring cup. Let sit for about 5 minutes, or until the fat rises to the surface. Skim off the fat and discard it.
To serve, return the skillet to medium-high heat and add the spinach, sweetbreads, vegetables, and reserved sauce. Stir for about 1 minute, or until the spinach has just begun to wilt. Stir in the butter, allow it to melt, and then add the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a warmed serving platter.
The trick here is to find a wine that has enough character to handle the opulent veal stock and Madeira, yet possesses enough finesse not to overpower the delicate sweetbreads. The answer is a medium-bodied Tempranillo with some jammy or cherry fruit and a good structure. Try a Montebaco or Gazur from Ribera del Duero. B D F