Rognons Brochette au Vert Pré

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small sharp knife for trimming
• •8 to 12 short metal skewers
• •Mandoline with hand guard or sharp chef's knife
• •Deep 3-quart saucepan and frying thermometer
• •Large cast-iron griddle, close broiler, or covered barbecue
• •Wire rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the kidneys

   Pull away the thin outer membrane from each kidney. Split it lengthwise almost through, leaving the two lobes attached like an open book, then cut out the firm white core and any tubes with the tip of a small knife. Remove the hard tissue, not half the kidney. Pat every surface thoroughly dry and push a short skewer crosswise through the lobes to hold each kidney open.

   Fresh kidneys smell clean and faintly mineral. A sharp ammonia or sour odor means they aren't fit for the pan, and soaking won't repair them.
2. 2

   Cut pommes paille

   Cut the potatoes into pommes paille, matchsticks about 1/16 inch or 2 mm thick. A mandoline with its guard makes quick work of this, though a sharp knife is perfectly respectable. Rinse the cut potatoes under cold water until the water runs clear, soak them for 10 minutes, then drain and dry them between clean towels. They must be impeccably dry because surface water makes the oil spit and prevents a crisp finish.

3. 3

   Ready the garnish

   Divide the parsley into small, loose bunches, keeping the tender stems attached, and dry it once more if necessary. Melt the butter gently, skim away the foam, and spoon the clear golden fat into a bowl, leaving the milky sediment behind. This clarified butter gives the kidneys real butter flavor without scorching under the grill. Heat the oven to 250°F or 120°C for the brief potato hold.

4. 4

   Fry the potatoes

   Heat the frying oil in a deep, heavy saucepan to 355°F or 180°C. Fry the potatoes in small handfuls for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring carefully so the strands separate, until crisp and evenly golden. Drain on a rack or absorbent paper, season with half the salt, and hold them in the oven for no longer than 15 minutes. If a batch comes out limp, the oil cooled too far. Ça se rattrape: bring it to 375°F or 190°C and refry that batch for 30 to 45 seconds.

5. 5

   Butter and crumb

   Season the kidneys on both sides with the remaining salt and the pepper. Brush them lightly with clarified butter, then press them into the breadcrumbs, shaking off every loose excess. You want a fine, even veil that will bronze against the heat, not a heavy cutlet crust. Coat them only when the grill is ready so the crumbs remain dry.

6. 6

   Grill them quickly

   Heat a cast-iron griddle, close broiler, or covered barbecue until a crumb of bread browns almost at once. Grill the kidneys rounded side down for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn and cook the cut side for about 2 minutes, brushing sparingly with the remaining clarified butter. Work in two batches if crowding would cool the surface. If juices begin pooling instead of sizzling, lift the kidneys out, reheat the grill, and return them; trapped moisture is the problem, not the meat. They are ready when the crumb is deep gold and the centers reach 145°F or 63°C with a faint rosy blush. Rest for 3 minutes. If one is still cool and raw at its center, return it cut side down for 30 seconds.

7. 7

   Build the vert pré

   Arrange the skewered kidneys closely down the center of a warmed oval platter. Surround them with alternating small heaps of pommes paille and loose bunches of very green parsley, keeping the potatoes airy rather than pressing them into a solid border. Bring the platter straight to the table. This dish waits for nobody, and nobody should have to wait for it. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Ask a butcher for mutton kidneys if you want the fuller flavor named in the original dish. Small lamb kidneys are easier to find and milder; use three per person rather than two so the serving retains the book's generous weight.
• •Choose a dry, floury potato. Waxy potatoes bend rather than crisp, while russets release their excess starch during rinsing and fry into distinct, brittle strands.
• •On a charcoal barbecue, bank the coals to one side and keep a coal-free strip available. Clarified butter limits flare-ups, but if one starts, move the kidneys aside until the flame settles.
• •Serve a lively red with enough freshness for the offal and fried potatoes, such as Beaujolais or a Loire Cabernet Franc. Heavy, tannic wine makes the kidneys taste more metallic.

Advance Preparation

• •Trim and skewer the kidneys up to 6 hours ahead. Keep them uncovered on a rack in the cold so their surfaces stay dry, then season, butter, and crumb them only when the grill is hot.
• •The potatoes can be cut up to 2 hours ahead and held under cold water. Drain and dry them with great care immediately before frying.
• •Wash and portion the parsley earlier in the day, then refrigerate it wrapped loosely in a barely damp towel. The kidneys and pommes paille must be cooked at the last moment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 305g)