Normandy Sweetbreads

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lbs sweetbreads (2 small pairs)
• 2 lbs apples, peeled and quartered (Use a good flavored apple for this old favorite such as Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Cortland)
• 7 tablespoons butter, melted
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 slices bread, crusts removed and cut into squares
• 4 teaspoons apple brandy or calvados
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. 1

   Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for 1 hour.

2. 2

   Remove the membranes and bloody tissues.

3. 3

   Put cleaned sweetbreads in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer 3 minutes.

4. 4

   Drain and cool.

5. 5

   Cook apples in a shallow covered pan with 2 tablespoons of butter.

6. 6

   Melt 5 tablespoons butter in another pan and add sweetbreads.

7. 7

   Sprinkle with salt and pepper; cover with a piece of buttered parchment to keep the meat from darkening.

8. 8

   Reduce heat, cover the pan and cook very gently for 30 minutes.

9. 9

   Fry bread cubes in butter until golden.

10. 10

    Remove paper from sweetbreads; add the apple brandy and light with a match.

11. 11

    When the flames have subsided, place the sweetbreads on a heated platter.

12. 12

    Add the cream to the pan and stir hard while heating.

13. 13

    Pour over the sweetbreads.

14. 14

    Surround with the fried croutons.

15. 15

    Serve the apples on a separate dish.