[Sca-cooks] Re: SC - Re: sca-cooks V1 #3141 - lungs

[Philip & Susan Troy]

"Craig Jones." wrote:
>
> >But I agree, most of these are less traditional in the area than the old
> >standbys, potato, kasha, and liver. I've never seen lung knishes. Must
> >be my outer borough upbringing. You'd think it would be difficult to get
> >out all the blood, considering what French chefs go through to achieve
> >this, but then it is much the same with liver, I suppose.
> >
> >Adamantius
>
> Umm, if I'm going to play with these lamb lungs next weekend is there anything
> (ie. prep work) I need to do with them before I cook with them.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Drakeyboy.

I seem to recall there being instructions for prepping lights in Jane
Grigson's book on charcuterie.. Hang on a sec...

OK, the short version is that there are two basic methods, at least in
the European culinary regimen, of rendering lungs cookable:

One involves parboiling them for 15 minutes or so, during which time you
have to hold them under the surface of your bubbling liquid -- they are
balloons and/or sponges, after all, so their natural tendency is to
float. After they're parboiled, they can be cooled, trimmed (of
membranes and tubes), and cut up as desired for further cooking.

The other common method involves beating them with a wooden mallet or
rolling pin to expel all the air; they can then be cut up and trimmed,
raw, before cooking.

That's what Grigson says, essentially.

Now that I think of it, I remember old Scots haggis recipes recommending
that the pluck be boiled with the trachea hanging over the side of the
pot, with the opening in another container, the better to expel various
proteinous nasties while cooking.

Adamantius
--
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com