Devilled Pig Kidneys

On Sunday I had the great good fortune to attend Cochon 555, a rock-concert-like celebration of heritage pigs.  Five amazing chefs, five different heritage pigs, a butchery competition, really great oysters, lots of fantastic people, and my favorite St. Germaine & Prosecco cocktails.  It was a feast for every sense.  More on Cochon 555 to come, but in the meantime.. I won a bag of pig goodies: two trotters, a big bundle of pig skin, and a lobe of kidney.  Here’s what I made from the kidney:

Devilled Kidneys on Toast

I adapted a recipe from Fergus Henderson’s The Whole Beast: Beyond Nose to Tail Eating.  His recipe calls for lamb kidneys, which are in fact really delicate and sweet, especially when freshly harvested, but I used one lobe of pig kidney, and it was a perfect lunch for one.

1 lobe of pig kidney
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon Coleman’s English mustard powder
1 big pinch freshly ground pepper
1 big pinch sea salt
1 knob of butter
a splash of Worcestershire sauce
4-5 tablespoons trotter gear (sticky-delicious pork & chicken stock-jelly: any good chicken stock will do fine)
2 slices rustic crusty bread

Chop the kidney into 1/2-inch pieces, trimming away all white tough bits.  Dredge the kidney pieces in the flour and spice mix, tossing to coat well, and shaking to remove excess flour mix.  Add to a medium sauté pan once your butter is sizzling, and fry for two to three minutes, tossing so all sides get a little seared.  Don’t over cook –you want these tasty bits tender.  Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and then your trotter gear or stock, and toss gently until a creamy sauce forms –don’t let the sauce over-reduce!

During these last few minutes, toast your two slices of bread and plate them, pouring the kidney and sauce over the toast.  Feast!