Ris de veau au pineau?

Question

I was recently at wedding in France, and ris de veau au pineau was on the menu. What is it? Thanks :)

Answer 1

Herbert is right, sweetbreads are a gland from the calf, sometimes you may see lamb, but mostly veal, they are poached in a aromatic stock, then cooled, and then a membrane on the outside is removed, they are sliced and dipped in flour and pan fried with butter to a golden brown.

The sauce would be made with Pineau de Chartes, a white wine that has been aged in old brandy casks, for 3-7 years, it is alot like sherry and is a nice flavouring for sweetbreads with a light taste in the sauce, I made something similar but with maderia another fortified wine. I would imagine it was a cream reduction sauce with the wine in it.

I should mention I am a former classically trained chef from Canada and have cooked swetbreads, foie gras and other organ meats/offal with this particular wine.

Answer 2

Ris de veau are veal thymus glands, aka sweetbreads.

Pineau is a fortified wine, used in the accompanying sauce.