Ris de veau meunière – browned butter, capers & lemon

Golden and crisp outside, creamy and tender within: sweetbreads, the almost-forgotten delicacy, browned in foaming nut butter with capers and a squeeze of lemon. A quiet, precise pleasure that leaves the whole stage to the Louré.

Beef & Game Category

40 MIN Prep time

15 MIN Cook time

4 people Servings

Ris de veau meunière – browned butter, capers & lemon

Preparation

Soaking & blanching

Soak the sweetbreads for several hours, ideally overnight, in cold water, changing the water several times until it stays clear. Blanch in lightly salted water with the bay leaf for 2–3 minutes, then refresh in iced water.

Trimming & pressing

Carefully remove the skin, sinews and membranes. Press the sweetbreads between two plates under a light weight in a cool place for about 1 hour, so they become firm and even. Divide into bite-sized medallions.

Dredging & frying

Pat the medallions dry, season with salt and dredge in flour, tapping off the excess. Fry in olive oil and half of the butter over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Remove and keep warm.

Nut butter & serving

Let the remaining butter foam in the pan until golden brown and smelling nutty. Add the capers, lemon juice and chopped parsley, and season with salt and white pepper. Arrange the sweetbreads and spoon over the foaming nut butter, finishing with a little lemon zest.

Why this wine?

Aged in amphora and barrique, the Louré has the body and calm depth to carry the nutty butter and the tender sweetbreads; its fine, mineral tension keeps the capers and lemon fresh and upright.

Good to know

Tips & insights

Soak the veal sweetbreads in cold water for a few hours, blanch them briefly, then peel off the membrane and sinews.
After blanching, let them cool under a weight between two plates, so the sweetbreads firm up and can be cut into clean medallions.
Dredge the medallions in flour only just before frying and tap off the excess, so the crust stays delicate.
Take the butter only to the hazelnut-brown point and deglaze at once with lemon juice, before it turns bitter.
Add the capers only at the very end, so they keep their bite and acidity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which wine pairs with ris de veau meunière?

The Louré. Its body, aged in amphora and barrique, carries the browned butter and the delicate sweetbreads, while its fine, mineral tension keeps capers and lemon fresh and upright. For something more precise, choose the Caprice, whose crystalline acidity cuts through the fat of the nut-brown butter.

How do the sweetbreads become tender?

Soak them in cold water for a few hours, blanch briefly and refresh. Then remove membrane and sinews and let them cool under a weight. This firms them up, so they cook evenly and stay creamy inside with a fine, browned exterior.

How can I tell veal sweetbreads are fresh?

Good sweetbreads are pale, plump and smell neutral to lightly milky. Avoid grey discolouration or a strong odour. Use them on the day of purchase and keep them well chilled until then. The rounded heart sweetbread is more even than the elongated throat sweetbread.

Which side dish suits this?

A potato purée or young spinach take up the lemon butter well and keep the plate calm. Glazed carrots or a fine pea purée also work. Keep the side simple, so the delicate sweetbreads and the nutty butter stay at the centre.

The wine to pair