3136. PAN-FRIED LAMBS' KIDNEYS with BACON and MUSHROOMS on TOAST

serves one

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

6 button onions, or shallots, peeled

1 tablespoon bacon lardons 

4 button mushrooms, quartered

2 lambs' kidneys, fat removed, cut in half, gristle removed (ask your butcher to do this for you)

¼-½ teaspoon red wine vinegar 

2-3 tablespoons gravy granules, made up to 100ml/3½fl oz gravy with boiling water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

½ tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 thick slice crusty white bread, toasted

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a small, non-reactive frying pan over a medium heat. Add the button onions or shallots and fry all over for 5-6 minutes, or until softened and pale golden-brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pan the onions were fried in. Add the lardons and mushrooms and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Remove from the pan and set aside with the onions.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same pan. When the oil is hot, add the kidneys, cut-sides down, and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until golden-brown and just cooked through.

Remove from the pan and set aside with the onions, bacon and mushrooms.

Add the red wine vinegar to the pan. When it simmers, scrape up any burned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan, then add the gravy.

Return the kidneys, onions, bacon and mushrooms to the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the kidneys and vegetables have warmed through, then stir in the herbs.

To serve, place the toast into a shallow serving bowl. Spoon over the pan-fried lambs' kidneys, vegetables and gravy.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Paul Merrett, Economy Gastronomy, BBC Food

3057. WARM KIDNEY and BACON SALAD

serves two 


2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 

6 tablespoons olive oil 

9-10 cm square piece of bacon, sliced into 3cm x 1cm batons 

6 lambs kidney, split in half lengthways and white core removed 

knob butter 

2 large handfuls frisée lettuce, washed 

For the shallot puree 

butter, for frying  

3 banana shallots, diced 

1 bay leaf  

double cream, for moistening 

For the croutons 

oil, for frying 

4 slices of day old white bread, crust removed and cut into 1cm cubes

For the puree: melt a knob of butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat and gently sweat the shallots with the bay leaf for about 30 miutes, until they are really soft.

Add a splash of cream and increase the heat until the cream bubbles. Remove the pan from the heat and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a blender (don’t add all the liquid from the pan until you know the consistency you have after blending). Puree the mix and add a little more liquid from the pan if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set the mixture aside until ready to serve.

For the croutons: heat a little oil in a heavy-based shallow pan and fry the bread cubes until golden on all sides. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
 
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar and mustard, then slowly pour in the oil and whisk until emulsified into a dressing. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and set aside.

Cook the bacon in a heavy-based pan until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the pan, and chop.

Season the kidneys on all sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Melt a knob of butter in the bacon frying pan, and add the kidneys, colouring then for about 2 minutes on each side and shaking the pan. They should still be a little pink in the middle. Remove them from the pan and leave them to rest for 1-2 minutes, then drain off any blood.

Put the bacon and kidneys back in the pan over a gentle heat to warm through. Add the croutons and a drizzle of the dressing and toss over the heat again for a minute or two.

To serve, dress the lettuce with the remaining dressing and arrange on serving plates. Add a couple of dollops of shallot puree, sprinkle over the bacon pieces and then top with the warm kidney and scatter over the croutons.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Matt Tebbutt, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel, UK-TV

2189. DEVILED KIDNEYS with BACON and MUSHROOMS

serves two


4 lamb’s kidneys
1 tablespoon plain flour
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Olive oil
4 rashers of streaky bacon, finely chopped
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
Knob of butter
4 large open chestnut mushrooms, roughly sliced
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
100ml crème fraîche
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Hot buttered toast
1 lemon

If the kidneys are still covered in a veil-like membrane, puncture it with the point of a knife and peel it away. Slice the kidneys in half and, using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, carefully cut away the white tubes and gristle from the middle. Don’t leave any or the kidneys will be tough.

Cut each prepared half-kidney into two or three pieces. Throw into a polythene bag (one without holes in the bottom) with the flour and cayenne, and shake until the kidneys are lightly coated.

Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan, add the bacon and shallots and soften for about 5 minutes. Throw in a good knob of butter, then add the kidneys and mushrooms. Cook the kidneys for 2 minutes on each side – when you turn them, give the mushrooms a good stir. Stir in the mustard and vinegar (watch your eyes, vinegar steam is vicious), bubble briefly, then add the crème fraîche and half the parsley. Cook for a minute or so more until the sauce is hot and bubbling. Adjust the seasoning and scatter with the remaining parsley. Pile on to the hot buttered toast, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the top, then dive in.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Lucas Hollweg, The Times | The Sunday Times, 1 Virginia Street, London, E98 1XY, March 30, 2008

1132. POTATOES STUFFED with LAMB KIDNEY and BACON

serves 4


4 lamb kidneys
4 baking potatoes
a little olive oil
8 rashers dry cured streaky bacon
4 oz. butter
4 sprigs parsley, finely chopped)

Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Prick the potatoes with a fork and rub all over in olive oil. Bake for anything up to 1 hour until the skin begins to feel soft to the touch. Halve the kidneys, remove the white ducts with kitchen scissors and wrap each half in a rasher of bacon with a share of the butter and parsley. Cut off the top third of each potato and, using a spoon, create a hole large enough to hold the bacon-wrapped kidney. Stuff the kidneys into the potatoes, put the tops back on and wrap each potato in a generous swathe greaseproof paper, screwing each end tightly. Return them to the oven and cook for another 30 minutes.


courtesy of: Donald Russell, Butcher, Harlaw Road, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, AB51 4FR, Scotland

877. VEAL KIDNEY with ONION, SMOKED BACON and CEPS

makes 4 servings


1 very white veal rognon
2 large onions
2 slices of smoked bacon
6 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons cognac
3 tablespoons chicken stock or water
6 tablespoons butter
3 1/2 oz. ceps (porcini)
flat leaf parsley
salt and pepper

Peel and wash the onions; hollow them out as you would for a stuffed tomato. Reserve the top and trimmings. Cook the onions in lightly salted simmering water for 6 minutes. Drain and sauté gently in a skillet with butter, salt and pepper for 5 minutes. Peel and wash the ceps (porcini); slice them and sauté them in butter. Keep warm. Sear the kidney in butter for 6 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Degrease the pan and let rest for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the cognac. Add the onion trimmings; deglaze with chicken stock or water. Cook for 3 minutes and add the cream. Cook the smoked bacon in an ungreased pan; set aside. Spoon some sauce onto the plates; place an onion in the center and fill with the ceps. Halve the kidney lengthwise and place on the onion along with the bacon; replace the top of the onion. Garnish with flat leaf parsley.


courtesy of: Henri Charvet, Le Comte de Gascogne, Boulogne sur Seine

657. LIVER and KIDNEY DUET, with BACON and CARROTS for cats

serves 1


1 chicken liver, finely chopped
1/2 lamb's kidney, finely chopped
2 strips of bacon, finely chopped
1 baby carrot, cooked
1 tbsp whole grain bread crumbs or oatmeal

Put the meat into boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain off the water, then blend the meat with the carrot and bread crumbs or oatmeal for a few seconds (leave some texture), or mash the mixture together with a fork. Cool until warm to the touch. Serve up with a sprig of parsley.


courtesy of: Lisa Violet's Cathouse

113. SHEEP'S KIDNEY and BACON

serves four


1 small onion
2/3 cup water
1/2 rasher bacon
1 sheep's kidney
2 teaspoons plain flour
salt to taste

Dice or grate onion. Boil water. Place onion in boiling water; simmer gently until tender. Remove rind from bacon. Cut bacon into small pieces. Remove skin and core from kidney. Wash well. Slice kidney finely.

Add kidney and bacon to onion. Simmer gently 6 minutes or until tender. Blend flour and salt with a little extra water. Add to kidney and stir until it comes to the boil, and thickens. Serve on a hot plate and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley.


courtesy of: Shiloh, Washington / cdkitchen.com