Pea and sweetbreads are a sweet, succulent match made in heaven. Mark Hix keeps this marriage simple in his recipe, and recommends calling your butcher ahead of time to source the best, beautifully plump sweetbreads.
To begin, prepare the sweetbreads. Place the sweetbreads in a bowl and rinse under cold water for 30 minutes. Place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and sprinkle in 2 tsp of salt
Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the sweetbreads in a colander and leave a cold tap running over them for a minute or so to cool them down. Carefully peel away the outer membranes and set aside
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Add the butter to a pan, place over a moderate heat and add the shallots. Cook gently for 2-3 minutes until softened, then add the white wine and beef stock and bring to the boil. Cook until the liquids have almost totally reduced, then add the cream and cook until reduced by half. Stir in the peas, season and simmer for 2 minutes
Season the prepared sweetbreads. Add the oil to a non-stick frying pan set over a high heat and once hot, add the sweetbreads and cook until they just start to colour all over. Add a small knob of butter the pan and continue cooking until golden and crisp
olive oil
1 knob of butter
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Drain the sweetbreads on kitchen paper to absorb any excess fat, then add to the pan with the peas and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Divide between bowls, garnish with pea shoots and serve immediately
