2000s Recipes + Menus

Grilled Chicken Heart Brochettes with Herb and Garlic Vinaigrette (Pinchos de Corazones de pollo al Tximitxurri)

Makes about 25 brochettes
  • Active time:20 min
  • Start to finish:3 1/2 hr
ADAPTED FROM ALEXANDRA RAIJ, TXIKITO, NEW YORK CITY
September 2009
The dish tastes as straightforward as it looks—tender chicken hearts dressed with a fresh vinaigrette. The bread acts as an edible napkin, soaking up all the juices for the very last bite.

For chicken hearts

  • 1 qt cold water
  • 1/4 cup kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 lb chicken hearts, visible arteries trimmed (do not trim fat)

For tximitxurri

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 garlic clove, grated (use a Microplane)
  • 3/4 cup olive oil plus additional if desired
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar plus additional if desired
  • 1 teaspoon sugar plus additional if desired
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

for grilled bread and chicken hearts

  • About 25 (1-inch-thick) slices baguette
  • Vegetable oil for brushing

  • Equipment:

    about 25 (6-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour

Brine chicken hearts:

  • Stir together water, kosher salt, and sugar in a large bowl until salt and sugar have dissolved. Add chicken hearts and chill 3 hours.

Meanwhile, make tximitxhurri:

  • Bring water to a boil with 1 tsp salt, then stir in garlic and remove from heat. Cool completely.
  • Whisk oil, parsley, vinegar, sugar, oregano, and red pepper flakes into garlic mixture. Add more oil, vinegar, sugar, and/or salt to taste if desired.

Grill bread and brochettes:

  • Drain chicken hearts. Thread 2 hearts onto each skewer, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between them, and arrange skewers on paper-towel-lined baking sheets to dry.
  • Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure
  • Lightly grill bread on both sides.
  • Brush chicken hearts lightly with oil and season with rounded 1/4 tsp salt. Oil grill rack, then grill brochettes, covered only if using a gas grill, turning occasionally, about 3 minutes total for medium.
  • Serve brochettes on bread, drizzled with tximitxurri.
cooks’ note: Bread and brochettes can be cooked in batches in an oiled hot 2-burner grill pan over medium-high heat (5 to 7 minutes for brochettes).

Photograph by Stephanie Foley

Keywords
another offal monday,
web-exclusive recipes,
poultry,
chicken

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