Braised Rognons de Boeuf au Malbec
Rognons de boeuf au Malbec or Veal kidneys cooked in Malbec wine. Rognons (or veal kidneys) are one of my favorite French charcuterie. They are quick to make and allow you to use the Malbec wine which is too acidic for most dishes.
Have you ever tasted a dish in a restaurant that was so good that you had to re-create it? But are you able to recreate the dish the same way?
Beef is an immutable ingredient at the base of all good dishes. This is especially true for a romantic, intimate, or quiet evening with your partner: it’s a piece of meat that can make you fall in love again. If you do not have time to go to your butcher and choose the best meat, learn how to select it! It’s always better to buy fresh meat by its color, smell, and lack of blood.
I seldom cook rognons or beef kidneys because it can be expensive, and cooking requires me to pay attention to taste because of the richness of the organ/meat. I cook it because my partner likes to eat rognons (beef kidneys), whereas I prefer to consume it once every few months.
A little bit of information you might want to know. A specific type of meat such as kidney and liver is advised to consume in moderation. “No matter what type of kidney or liver you choose, a 100-gram portion, which is a 3.5-ounce serving, has 100 to 135 calories, about 20 grams of protein, and only 3 to 5 grams of total fat. They’re high in cholesterol, but for most healthy people, the amount of cholesterol consumed has a small impact on cholesterol levels in the blood, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.”(http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/)
The ingredients needed for the recipe
- Beef kidney – about 1 kidney is needed. Don’t worry about the size, it will be reduced after braising.
- White vinegar: needed to remove most of the gamy smell.
- Olive oil: do not use too much as the dish won’t be appetizing if drench in oil.
- White onion: you can use purple onion or shallots.
- Garlic cloves: the taste and aroma of fresh garlic is better for this recipe.
- Thyme: fresh or dried is fine. If you are using fresh thyme, use 2 – 3 sprigs.
- Tarragon: this fresh herb is perfect in beef and seafood dishes.
- Fresh Parsley: another favorite and aromatic herb that goes well with beef and red meat in general.
- Paprika: smoked or sweet Paprika.
- Sriracha seasoning: this if perfect for this dish. A little heat, slighlty sweet and bold flavors.
- Malbec Wine: Argentinian malbec preferably. My prefer region is Mendoza.
- Butter: Not too much. This will the rognons a but creamy.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions for Braised Rognons de Boeuf au Malbec
- Cleaning kidneys: Place the beef kidney on a cutting board and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove most of the fat inside as well as any membrane. This is necessary to for taste and to allow the organ to cook thouroughly. Cut the kidney into 1 1/2-inch pieces so it could gently cook through.
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the vinegar. Don’t ignore this step because of the gamy smell.
- Add the kidney pieces, mix well, and cook for about 2 minutes. Drain the kidneys in a colander, rinse under cold running water, and thoroughly drain again and set aside. Discard any liquid that has emerged from the pieces of the kidney.
- Add the oil, onion, and garlic to a saucepan, mix well cook for 1 minute. Add the sriracha seasoning, thyme, tarragon, parsley, and paprika. Mix well and add kidney pieces and cook while stirring for about 3 – 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the Malbec wine and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes add 1 tablespoon of butter and continue to cook.
- Let slowly cook for about 10 or 15 minutes longer stirring occasionally to prevent the stew from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When fully cooked remove from heat and serve immediately with bread, fried plantains, fried yucca, or french fries.
Tip and Notes for Braised Rognons de Boeuf au Malbec
- Beef kidneys are large and tough to cook. Although beef kidney has a robust taste and should be eaten very fresh, there is nothing quite like an excellent tasting kidney beef dish or rognons.
- When buying a beef kidney, make sure that it is firm, and the color must be vibrant, which will guarantee freshness.
- Sriracha seasoning can be found in liquid form and powder form. It is a blend of salt, garlic, sugar, vinegar, and chili pepper. I have used the liquid but prefer the powder. I find the powder seasoning more flavorful. I guess I need to find the real and authentic sauce from Thailand to buy and use. By the way, Sriracha seasoning can be used in numerous dishes.
If you are wondering about the wine I used, it is a 2010 Malbec from Argentina. It is not cheap but it does bring a good balance to the dish. Finish it with butter like the French do with several of their dishes and fresh thyme, and you will have a wonderful dish.
Enjoy!
Rognons de boeuf au Malbec
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef kidney – about 1 kidney
- ½ cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup white onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves finely diced or chopped
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon tarragon
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon sriracha seasoning
- 1 cup malbec wine Argentinian malbec preferably
- Butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cleaning kidneys: Place the beef kidney on a cutting board and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove most of the fat inside as well as any membrane. This is necessary to for taste and to allow the organ to cook thouroughly.
- Cut the kidney into 1 1/2-inch pieces so it could gently cook through.Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan and add the vinegar. Don’t ignore this step because of the gamy smell. Add the kidney pieces, mix well, and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Drain the kidneys in a colander, rinse under cold running water, and thoroughly drain again and set aside. Discard any liquid that has emerged from the pieces of the kidney.
- Add the oil, onion, and garlic to a saucepan, mix well cook for 1 minute. Add the sriracha seasoning, thyme, tarragon, parsley, and paprika. Mix well and add kidney pieces and cook while stirring for about 3 – 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the Malbec wine and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and keep stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes add 1 tablespoon of butter and continue to cook.
- Let slowly cook for about 10 or 15 minutes longer stirring occasionally to prevent the stew from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When fully cooked remove from heat and serve immediately with bread, fried plantains, fried yucca, or french fries.
Notes
- There won’t be much sauce left after cooking. If you need more sauce, remove the rognons and made a sauce first. Make sure the sauce is a bit thick before re-adding the rognons.
- The beef kidney must be thoroughly cleaned, and fat and membrane removed.
- Beef kidneys are large and tough to cook. Although beef kidney has a robust taste and should be eaten very fresh, there is nothing quite like an excellent tasting kidney beef dish or rognons.
- When buying a beef kidney, make sure that it is firm, and the color must be vibrant, which will guarantee freshness.
- Sriracha seasoning can be found in liquid form and powder form. It is a blend of salt, garlic, sugar, vinegar, and chili pepper. I have used the liquid but prefer the powder. I find the powder seasoning more flavorful. I guess I need to find the real and authentic sauce from Thailand to buy and use. By the way, Sriracha seasoning can be used in numerous dishes.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
Originally published October 23, 2015
