VEAL SWEETBREADS PICCATA WITH ARTICHOKES

Steps:

• To prepare the sweetbreads, place them in a nonreactive baking dish or large bowl and pour the milk over them, adding more if necessary to cover. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place the sweetbreads in the refrigerator to soak overnight. Drain the sweetbreads and discard the milk. Rinse the sweetbreads under cool water and pat them dry with paper towels.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until it is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onion, fennel, and celery, and season with salt and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high, add the wine, vinegar, and peppercorns, and bring the liquid to a boil and boil until it reduces by half, about 15 minutes. Add the sweetbreads and add enough water to just cover. Place a large paper coffee filter or a piece of cheesecloth on the surface to keep the sweetbreads submerged and heat until you see the first few bubbles start to rise up from the surface. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into one of the sweetbreads registers 120°F to 125°F, removing the smaller sweetbreads from the liquid to the colander as they become done, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with ice water and place a colander in the sink. Place a wire cooling rack inside a baking sheet. Plunge the sweetbreads in the ice water for 1 minute to cool completely. Lift the sweetbreads out of the ice water, pat dry with paper towels, and place them on the wire rack. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap and place a heavy baking dish on top of the sweetbreads and a bag of beans or a can of tomatoes on the dish to weigh it down. Place the weighted sweetbreads in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
• To finish and serve the sweetbreads, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut the artichokes in half crosswise at the stem. Thinly slice the stems lengthwise and place them in a bowl. Break apart the artichoke leaves to separate them and drop them into the bowl.
• Remove the weights and the plastic wrap from the sweetbreads and discard the plastic. Use a small, sharp knife to cut away and discard any knotty pieces or silver skin from the sweetbreads. Cut the sweetbreads into 2- to 3-inch segments. Pat the sweetbreads dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
• Heat the grapeseed oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Sear the sweetbreads in the oil until they are deep brown and crisp all over, about 4 minutes, turning them to cook all sides. Remove the sweetbreads to a baking sheet or a large plate and place them in the oven to heat through, about 3 minutes, while you make the sauce. Wipe the pan out with paper towels and add the olive oil and garlic. Season the garlic with salt and sauté over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent it from browning, until it softens slightly and becomes fragrant. Add the wine, caperberries, red pepper flakes, sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring often, until the liquid has burned off, the garlic is golden brown, and the sugar left in the pan begins to caramelize around the sides, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Stir in the artichokes and butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces by half and the sauce thickens slightly, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat. Drizzle the lemon juice into the pan, add the parsley, and stir to incorporate into the sauce.
• Remove the sweetbreads from the oven. Use a slotted spoon to strain the artichoke leaves out of the liquid and spread them out in a circle about 6 inches diameter in the center of four plates, dividing them evenly. From here, building each serving in two layers, place a few leaves of cavolo nero on top of each serving of artichoke leaves. Nestle half of the sweetbreads on top of the cavolo, dividing them evenly, drizzle with half of the sauce, dividing the sauce evenly and leaving the caperberries in the pan. Build the second layer, starting with a few of the cavolo leaves, the remaining sweetbreads, and topped with a drizzle of the sauce, using all of the ingredients in the second layer. Nestle the caperberries and zested strips of lemon around and on top of the sweetbreads, and serve.
• suggested wine pairing
• Greco di Tufo (Campania)