Pan Seared Veal Sweetbreads With Truffled Grits

Methods/steps

For the truffles, in a large skillet, heat the Crisco vegetable oil. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon butter and add the sweetbreads one at a time, but quickly. Cook the sweetbreads 2 minutes each side to a light brown coloration. Remove from the pan and eliminate the excess oil. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan along with the chopped shallots and cook on low heat for 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and the chicken stock and reduce to a sauce consistency. Add the chopped chives and the sweetbreads back into the sauce and spoon over the truffled grits (see below).
For the truffled grits, heat the chicken stock and butter together in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the grits, return to a boil, and reduce the heat, allowing the grits to cook at a low boil for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking. Add 1/2-cup milk and 1/2-cup cream to the pot and turn down the heat, allowing the grits to simmer for another 10 minutes. As the liquid is absorbed, add the rest of the cream and milk as needed with a total cooking time of at least one hour. Add salt and pepper to taste and the chopped truffles. The grits should have a soupy look to them, but not enough to run on the plate.