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Mollejas a la parrilla
Grilled sweetbreads
Mollejas a la parrilla: veal sweetbreads grilled slowly over coals until crisp outside and creamy inside, with lemon
Order an asado in any Argentine parrilla and the mollejas arrive early, before the big cuts, crusty and golden outside, soft and almost custardy within, with nothing but lemon. They are the thymus glands of young cattle, mild in flavour and rich in texture, and parrilleros treat them as a treat for the guests who hang around the grill. Ask a butcher for veal sweetbreads (heart sweetbreads are the plumpest) and cook them the day you buy them. Grilling them hot and fast is the common mistake: the outside chars while the centre stays raw and rubbery. As offal, they must be cooked right through, to at least 71 °C in the middle. Chef's tip: a brief blanch firms them, makes the membrane easy to peel and means the grill only has to crisp them.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb veal mollejasveal sweetbreads (thymus), very fresh, from a butcher
- 2 tsp coarse salt
- 2 lemonshalved
- 4 tbsp chimichurri (optional)to serve
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Soak 1 ¾ lb veal mollejas in a bowl of cold water in the fridge for 1 hour, changing the water once, to draw out any blood.
Step 2: Bring a pan of water to a gentle simmer, add a pinch of ⅜ tsp coarse salt and slip in the sweetbreads. Poach until they turn opaque and feel firmer.
5 minStep 3: Plunge them into iced water to cool, then peel off the thick outer membrane and any fat or gristle, keeping the lobes in large pieces.
Step 4: Prepare a grill with a gentle bed of coals: you should be able to hold your hand at the grate for 8–10 seconds.
Step 5: Season the sweetbreads with the rest of 1 ⅝ tsp coarse salt and grill, turning every 8–10 minutes, until deep golden and crisp all over.
35 minStep 6: Cut into one piece to check: the inside should be creamy white with no pink or translucent patches, and at least 160°F in the middle.
1 minStep 7: Squeeze some of 2 lemons over them on the grill for the last minute, then serve straight away with the remaining lemon halves and 4 tbsp chimichurri if you like.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mollejas a la parrilla take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of lemons?
- Lime, or 2 tbsp bottled lemon juice per lemon (no zest from bottled juice).
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