Offal is the quintessential Easter dish in Central Italian cuisine, prepared using the less noble parts of the lamb (innards), from which it takes its name. Unlike the classic Umbrian lamb offal, this recipe does not use tomatoes. Don’t forget to try offal with artichokes.
If you like lamb recipes, don’t forget to check out the recipe
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 342.17 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 5.20 (g) of which sugars 3.36 (g)
- Proteins 39.55 (g)
- Fat 16.45 (g) of which saturated 0.68 (g)of which unsaturated 0.02 (g)
- Fibers 0.48 (g)
- Sodium 195.49 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 300 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 2 people
- 1 lamb offal
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- to taste rosemary
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Pan – non-stick 9.5 inches
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting board
- 4 Bowls
Procedure
The innards are the main ingredient and must be very fresh; I recommend buying them from your trusted butcher.
You may not always find complete offals with all 5 elements, such as the esophagus or other parts that may be missing. If possible, always buy the complete offal with all 5 elements. The offal is sold whole, with the elements connected, so the first step is to separate them and place each in a separate container.
The 5 parts have different cooking times, so start with the one that takes the longest (lungs) and finish with the one that takes the least time (liver). Wash the various cuts of meat under running water several times and finally dry them with a dry cloth.
Cut the meat into uniform cubes and place it back in the bowl until ready to cook. The kidney should be cut in half and cleaned to remove the white fatty part, while the liver may contain red blood filaments, which should be removed as they could make the dish slightly bitter during cooking.
Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the diced red onion. Once it becomes translucent and has sweated, add the cubed lungs, thinly sliced artichokes, deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine, and fry on low heat for 5 minutes.
After the indicated time, add the diced kidney, mix gently, and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the diced heart to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes before adding the diced liver.
Mix well and add the last ingredient, the esophagus. During cooking, you might hear a kind of hiss coming from the dish. Don’t worry, it’s just the steam passing through the esophagus creating this strange sound effect.
Add a few rosemary leaves, some salt, and a grind of fresh pepper, lower the heat to minimum, and continue cooking for another 10 minutes. Before serving, add a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
At the end of cooking, you will have your dish ready. Just prepare some grilled bruschetta bread and serve it with the offal.
Your offal is ready!
Plating Suggestions:
Given that we are talking about a simple traditional dish made with the less noble cuts of lamb, the dish’s appearance will be quite homely. Therefore, I suggest opting for simple single-portion presentation and accompanying the offal with artichokes with a sprinkle of freshly ground pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and some grilled bruschetta bread.
Wine Pairing with Lamb Offal:
The offal has a strong flavor linked to its basic ingredients, so I recommend pairing it with a simple wine. For example, a Pinot Grigio from Trentino, whose velvety and full-bodied flavor will complement this dish well.
