Veal Sweetbreads w/ Red Wine Reduction

For the Veal Sweetbreads:

• 1 pound veal sweetbreads (the smaller the better)
• salt
• pepper
• paprika
• equal parts olive oil and butter (for frying)
• 1 recipe Red Wine Reduction (to follow)

1. (If your butcher has not already cleaned them...) Clean the sweetbreads by removing the membrane lining and cutting off visible excess fat tissue. Wash and dry thoroughly.
2. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika.
3. Sauté in a combination of ½ butter and ½ olive oil over medium heat until golden (about 4 and a half minutes per side depending on size.) You don’t want to dry them out, but you want them fully cooked.
4. Drizzle with red wine reduction and serve while hot.

For the Red Wine Reduction:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon e.v. olive oil
• 1-2 shallots (finely chopped)
• 1 bottle red wine (a Claret is good)
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 cup beef stock (I like Wolfgang Puck’s organic – or homemade)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 3/4 cups port
• 1 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon corn starch dissolved in a little bit of water

1. Melt olive oil and 1 Tbs. butter in large saucepan. Sauté shallots until almost translucent; turn heat to low, add garlic and sauté until tender.
2. Add beef broth, red wine, port and pepper and cook down until reduced by 2/3 and slightly thick. Adjust for salt.
3. Whisk in cornstarch a little at a time until desired thickness. Whisk in butter.