A Victorian British breakfast dish; an early recipe appears in Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management (1861). 'Devilled kidneys'.
Tender, faintly mineral kidneys are coated in a hot, tangy, mustardy sauce with a real kick of cayenne, soaked up by buttery toast beneath. Rich and boldly savoury, it is offal at its most moreish.
Fast, hot searing browns the kidneys while keeping them tender rather than rubbery, and the mustard-and-Worcestershire sauce reduces to a sharp, clinging glaze that 'devils' the meat with heat.
Variations
On fried bread, with mushrooms, with a splash of cream, sherry-spiked sauce, served as a breakfast or supper dish
On the Palate
Where Devilled Kidneys sits in the British flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 2
How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 16 min
Halve the lamb's kidneys, snip out the white cores and pat them dry.
- 22 min
Mix the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne and a little stock into a devil sauce.
- 31 min
Heat butter in a frying pan until foaming.
Watch outWait until the butter foams and the foam just starts to subside — that's hot enough to sear without the kidneys stewing.
- 43 min
Sear the kidneys quickly over high heat until browned but still pink within.
Watch outSear fast over high heat and pull them while still pink inside — kidneys turn rubbery the moment they cook all the way through.
- 53 min
Pour in the devil sauce and let it bubble and reduce around the kidneys.
Watch outLet the sauce bubble down until it clings as a glossy glaze — reduced too far and it splits and turns gritty.
- 61 min
Toss the kidneys to coat them in the glossy spiced sauce.
- 71 min
Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
- 82 min
Spoon over hot buttered toast and scatter with parsley to serve.
