Recipes using offal often take several days

Recipes using offal frequently involve multiple steps that must be done over several days, so plan your menus accordingly.

WHISKEY BRAISED LAMB COLLAR

Brine (see below)

2 lamb neck fillets

1 Spanish onion, rough-cut

8 garlic cloves, smashed

1 carrot, peeled and rough cut

1 rib celery, rough cut

2 cups Irish whiskey

1 cup red wine

4 dried bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Chopped parsley for garnish

Chopped scallions for garnish

One day before, make the brine: Combine 2 quarts water, 1/2-cup honey and 1/2-cup kosher salt in a saucepan and heat. Stir until salt is dissolved.

Cool to room temperature. Place lamb necks in brine and soak overnight (or for 12 hours).

Remove lamb from brine. Pat dry and season liberally with salt and pepper. In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil until it just starts to smoke. Add lamb and sear on all sides until well-browned.

Remove lamb to a plate and add onions, carrots, celery and garlic to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Return lamb to pot, add whiskey, wine and dried herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer gently for about 3 1/2 hours, or until meat pulls apart easily with a fork.

Once done, turn off heat and allow meat to cool in the cooking liquid. When cooled to room temperature, remove meat to a plate and refrigerate to chill until firm enough to slice.

While lamb is chilling, strain cooking liquid with a fine mesh strainer or chinois. Return strained liquid to pot and boil over high heat until reduced by approximately three-quarters. Reserve sauce.

Slice cooled lamb crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. Sauté the slices in olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned and heated through.

Place slices over desired starch. (Pureed potato, parsnip, celery root or salsify are good accompaniments.) Drizzle the reduced sauce over and around the lamb. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and scallions. Serves 4.

Source: Chef Joe McAtee, Honey.

SWEETBREADS WITH APPLES AND PICKLED ONIONS

2 pounds sweetbreads

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup red onion, julienned

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Pinch sugar

1 sprig thyme

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/4 cup white wine

1 cup chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse sweetbreads well, then transfer to a 6-quart pot and add water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer gently 10 minutes.

Drain sweetbreads in a colander and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water to cool.

Cook apples with salt, pepper and white wine until soft. Puree in blender and set aside.

Combine red wine vinegar, sugar, 1 garlic clove and a sprig of thyme in bowl. Add onion and let marinate.

In a nonstick pan, sear sweetbreads over medium heat until golden brown. Add chicken stock and wine, reducing liquid until just a glaze remains. Season with salt and pepper.

Place apple puree on plate, followed by sweetbreads and pickled red onion. Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a first course.

Source: Chef Chip Roman, Blackfish.

SWEET AND SOUR VEAL TONGUE

2 veal tongues, (about 2 1/2 pounds total)

8 cups cold water

1 medium onion, quartered

1 carrot, quartered

1 celery rib, quartered

Salt

1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California bay leaf

6 black peppercorns

1 cup tomato sauce

6 ounces dried California apricots

6 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, for garnish

Put tongues in a 4- to 6-quart pot; add water, onion, carrot, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, bay leaf and peppercorns and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and cool tongues in cooking liquid, uncovered, about 1 hour.

Transfer tongues to cutting board. Reserve cooking liquid. Peel skin from tongues and trim off excess fat.

Pour cooking liquid through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids. Transfer 2 1/4 cups cooking liquid to a 2-quart heavy saucepan; discard the rest.

Add tomato sauce, apricots, sugar, lemon juice, a teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering until apricots are very tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, put a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Cut tongues crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange meat in an even layer, overlapping slices, in an 11-by-7-inch shallow baking dish and cover with sauce.

Cover meat directly with a piece of parchment paper, then cover baking dish tightly with foil. Braise in oven until tongue is very tender, about 45 minutes.

Serve tongue sprinkled with parsley. Serves 6.

Note: Tongue can be made up to 2 days ahead. Cool in the sauce, uncovered, then refrigerate, covered with parchment and foil. Reheat, covered, in 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.

Source: Gourmet Today.

LAMB'S NECK TERRINE WITH BARBERRIES AND SAFFRON

Three 1- to 1 1/2-pound lamb necks

1 teaspoon ground, dried rose

petals*

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 Spanish onion, peeled and small diced

1 large carrot, peeled and small diced

2 tablespoon barberries (can

substitute dried cranberries)

1 pinch saffron

1 sprig fresh mint

1 cup red wine (Syrah, preferably)

Kosher salt and black pepper

Note: This is a two- to three-day recipe.

Rinse lamb necks in cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle with the rose powder and one tablespoon kosher salt. Marinate for a few hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat vegetable oil to medium high heat in a heavy-bottomed pot.

Place the necks in the pan and brown very slowly on all sides. This should take about 20 minutes. When necks have browned, remove from pan and drain on paper towels.

Add the onion and carrot to the pan and allow to brown. Season the vegetables lightly and cook for about 20 minutes.

Add saffron, mint and red wine. Cook until the wine is almost gone. Add barberries or cranberries, lamb's necks and just enough water to cover the necks.

Cover the pot and place in oven for about 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is falling off of the bone.

Strain braising liquid into a container and store with meat overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day, remove the neck from the braise and pick the meat off the bones. Set meat aside. Discard the bones and cartilage. Reduce strained braising liquid in a medium-size pan over medium heat. Skim the fat often.

Cook liquid till super tacky, then toss in the shredded meat. Roll up mixture in plastic wrap and twist the ends to achieve a sausage-like shape.

Wrap in tin foil and refrigerate for at least two hours. Slice and serve on toast points with mustard. Serves 4.

*You can use rose tea or a few drops of rosewater, available at South Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

Source: Chef Michael Solomonov, Zahav.