Devilled kidneys is a
Victorian British
breakfast
Breakfast is the first meal of the day usually eaten in the morning. The word in English refers to breaking the fasting period of the previous night. Various "typical" or "traditional" breakfast menus exist, with food choices varying by regi ...
dish consisting of
lamb's
kidneys cooked in a spiced sauce, referred to as "devilling". It has since become more frequently used as a supper-time dish.
Description
The devilling mixture consists of
Worcestershire sauce,
mustard,
butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of Churning (butter), churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 81% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread (food ...
,
cayenne pepper,
salt
In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...
and
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit (the peppercorn), which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diameter ...
.
James Boswell
James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of the English writer Samuel Johnson, '' Life of Samuel ...
described devilling during the 18th century, although it was not until the 19th and 20th centuries that devilled kidneys grew in popularity as a breakfast dish. During the
Edwardian era, the dish was typically served in
gentlemen's clubs, and was part of a cuisine which also included items such as
kedgeree or
kippers. In the modern era it has mostly been promoted as a supper dish instead of at breakfast.
Variations
British
celebrity chef
A celebrity chef is a kitchen chef who has become a celebrity. Today, chefs often become celebrities by presenting cookery advice and demonstrations, usually through the media of television and radio, or in Books, printed publications. While telev ...
Rick Stein created a recipe combining devilled kidneys with wild mushrooms to create an
entrée. The dish is often included in cookbooks, with versions gracing the covers of books by the
Canteen restaurant, as well as books by
The Hairy Bikers.
Chef
Fergus Henderson described
Caroline Conran's version of devilled kidneys as "the best recipe, ever!", and
Marco Pierre White created devils kidneys for the celebrities in one of his seasons of
ITV's
''Hell's Kitchen''.
See also
*
List of lamb dishes
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devilled Kidneys
British cuisine
Offal
Victorian cuisine
Lamb dishes