Thu, 16 June 2016
Kidneys have a very high water content, so to keep them from spattering too much or having them braise instead of sear, you want to make sure that they're dry before you put them into the pan, and that the pan is very hot.
Serves 4
4 lamb kidneys (4 pieces), cleaned, trimmed, and quartered
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup veal demi-glace
1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Crusty bread, for serving
Cook the kidneys:
Dry the kidneys on all sides with paper towels. Lightly season them with salt and pepper. In a large slope-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the canola oil until it shimmers. Place the kidneys in the pan, being sure not to crowd them. Let them sear for about a minute on each side. Stir in the shallot and cook for another minute.
Make the sauce:
Add the wine to the pan and use a straight-edged wooden spatula to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Cook without stirring until the alcohol evaporates, about 3 minutes (the wine volume will reduce slightly). Stir in the demi- glace. Turn the heat to high and let the kidneys cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, until they are tender and the thickened sauce coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the butter and thyme until the butter melts. Add more salt and pepper if you wish. Serve immediately with plenty of crusty bread
Watch how it's made below:
