How To Make A Ragou Of The Sweetbreads Of Veal Or Ye Sweetbreads Of Lambs

This recipe hails from late 17th-century England—a period when French culinary influence was beginning to make waves among the British gentry. Sweetbreads, a prized delicacy, were often featured in lavish ragouts—a term for a rich stew packed with morsels of luxury, like sweetbreads, mushrooms, and artichokes. Such dishes were enjoyed at banquets and formal meals, with many imported spices and garnishes to delight the sophisticated palate. Recipes like this would have been exchanged in manuscript form among wealthy households, each cook adapting and personalizing the dish to ingredient availability, making every ragout subtly unique.

Cooks in the 1600s would have used a heavy, lidded pot—likely made of brass, copper, or heavy earthenware—set directly over the hearth or on a trivet above hot coals. A long-handled spoon for stirring, a sharp knife for skinning the sweetbreads, and a mortar and pestle for crushing spices would all come into play. Serving would require a broad platter, often decorated with sliced citrus or herbs, transforming this rustic stew into a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.