6 oz (170 g) bacon, cut into pieces roughly matching the sweetbread pieces
1 Vegetable oil or lard, for deep frying (enough to submerge skewers, approx. 2–3 qt / 1.9–2.8 L)
1 Cooked green peas, to serve
Instructions
1. Parboil the sweetbread: place it in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 8–10 min, until the sweetbread firms slightly and loses its raw, translucent appearance. Transfer to a bowl of ice water for 5 min to stop cooking, then peel away the outer membrane and any connective tissue. Cut into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces.
2. Set up a three-stage breading station: one shallow dish of all-purpose flour, one shallow dish of beaten egg, one shallow dish of fine dry breadcrumbs. Working in batches, dredge each sweetbread piece first in flour (shaking off the excess), then in egg, then in breadcrumbs, pressing gently so the coating adheres. Set aside on a plate.
3. Cut bacon into pieces approximately the same size as the sweetbread pieces. Thread small skewers (about 6-inch / 15 cm metal or soaked wooden skewers) alternating sweetbread and bacon: 4 pieces sweetbread and 3 pieces bacon per skewer, beginning and ending with sweetbread.
4. Heat the deep-frying fat in a heavy saucepan or deep cast-iron skillet to 375°F (190°C), using a frying thermometer. The fat should be deep enough to fully submerge the skewers.
5. Fry the skewers in batches — do not crowd the vessel — for 3–5 min, until the coating is deep golden brown and the bacon is cooked through. Internal temperature of the sweetbread should reach 160°F (71°C). Remove with tongs or a spider (slotted frying basket) and drain on a wire rack set over a sheet pan, or on a plate lined with paper towels.
6. Arrange the skewers in a circle on a warmed serving platter. Mound cooked green peas in the center and serve immediately.
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