Eckart Witzigmann’s Rumohr Veal Sweetbreads

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the Phyllo Parcel

• 500g sweetbread medallions
• lemon juice
• salt
• 400g leeks – only the bright green parts cut into strips
• 100g double cream
• 1 egg yolk
• 4 black Périgord truffles (fresh) each around 30g
• 100ml Madiera
• 4 slices of raw goose liver – each around 50g
• 50g clarified butter
• 1tsp cognac
• 8 sheets of phyllo dough
• soft butter for spreading
• 8 thin slices parma ham
• 1 egg yolk for coating

For the Champagne Sauce

• 80g leeks – only the bright green parts cut into strips
• 100g strong stock made from poultry
• 100ml Noilly Prat
• 100ml Champagne brut
• 12 crushed green peppercorns
• 1 finely diced shallot
• 200g double cream
• 1tsp butter
• freshly milled white pepper
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• a dash of lemon juice
• 80g cold butter cut into small pieces
• truffle stock (from above)

Method

For the Phyllo Parcel

1. Brush the truffles under running water, pat them dry with a cloth and cut them into 1cm slices.
2. Place the sliced truffle into a sauteuse with the Madeira and steam for about 3 minutes, then leave to cool.
3. Decant off the liquid and place the stock on one side to use in the sauce.
4. Cut the goose liver into slices – as near as possible in shape as the sweetbread – and sauté both sides in a little clarified butter, then remove from the pan and sprinkle with cognac and lightly season.
5. For each serving spread butter onto two sheets of phyllo dough, place one on top of the other on a cloth and cut into 20cm squares.
6. For each serving cover with two slices of Parma ham placed close to the sides.  Place the sweetbreads, truffle slices and goose liver on top and then place the leeks around the outside.  Fold the ham over the top and with the aid of a cloth fold the dough twice around the filling (like in a strudel); cut off any excess dough and coat the ends with whisked egg yolk.
7. Bake the sweetbread parcel for 35 minutes on a greased baking tray in an oven preheated to 200°C.

For the Champagne Sauce

1. For the sauce blanch the leeks, cool them rapidly and then dry them.
2. Reduce the poultry stock with Noilly Prat, half the champagne, the green peppercorns and the shallot until the liquid has become viscous. Add the double cream and allow everything to cook until it again becomes quite viscous.
3. In the meantime briefly sauté the strips of leek in butter and then season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, bring to the boil again, add the remaining champagne and add the pieces of cold butter to the sauce. Add the truffle stock, a dash of lemon juice or some spicy cayenne pepper according to taste.
5. Serve the leeks and the sauce on a warm plate. Divide the sweetbread parcel into portions and serve on top of the leeks and sauce.

Recipe Courtesy of Eckart Witzigmann.

Image © Helge Kirchberger Photography / Red Bull Hangar-7