Sweetbreads, lemon cream sauce, elevated greenbean and mushrooms.

I have, as of late, been on a quest to try new cuts of meat, including organs; recently, I tried mollejas from a local Mexican restaurant and fell in love. So I researched sweetbreads and undertook the long, arduous task of preparing them. It requires thorough cleaning, a saltwater soak for several hours, blanching in a broth/water mixture to firm the connective tissue, and finally, trimming said tissue. After all that, they are ready to cook again. I coated them in a dried herb mixture of fennel, thyme, chili flakes, roasted garlic, salt, and pepper. After a good sear in a pan set on medium-high heat in ghee, I finished them with a squeeze of lemon. For the sauce, I deglazed the pan fond with half a shot of tequila, burned off the alcohol, and added lemon juice and fresh garlic. After that reduced, I added cream and more lemon juice. I then strained the mixture and added butter over low heat, stirring constantly. For the side, I wanted to create an elevated green bean casserole. I don't know why I've been obsessed with them, but I have. I made a green bean purée seasoned with salt and a squeeze of lemon, and added some cold butter to help the emulsion. Then I made a roasted mushroom cream with baby bellas and Pecorino Romano. I plated this atop the green bean purée and finished with a Parmesan crisp, charred shallots, and grispy garlic. It had all the tasting notes of a green bean casserole, and the crispiness from the shallots, garlic, and the cheese crisp punched through the creaminess, giving it a really nice crunch and mouthfeel. Overall, a really nice meal.