Info
- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Cost: Moderate
- Favorited: 5 Times
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Cervelles au Beurre NoirPer...
Cookbook
Perhaps I should be calling this “Brains in Black Butter,” but there are some classic dishes that evoke for me a certain style that is French bourgeois to a T. I always associate a dish such as this with Paris—bistros, brasseries, and small neighborhood restaurants—so it seems correct to call it by its French name. It is the sort of offal dish that I always think about along with tête de veau, tripes, ris de veau à la crème, and langue de veau à a la moutarde. It’s the melting quality of the various sorts of offal that really gets me going. And, generally, one would find something perky in the way of a sauce or dressing to accompany them. The contrast is delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 calves brains, cleaned of blood and nerves
- Salt and pepper
- Flour for dusting
- 3 tbsp peanut oil
- ½ cup butter
- 2 tbsp capers (preferably small ones), drained
- 1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
For the court-bouillon
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 leek, trimmed and finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 sprig of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 peppercorns
- A dash of vinegar
- Salt
- 4 cups water
Directions
Cook all the court-bouillon ingredients together for 30 minutes.
Strain into a clean stainless steel pan, add the brains, and poach gently for 15-20 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Remove to a warm plate, tilted to allow the excess liquid to drain off.
Slice each brain in half lengthways down the natural divide of the two lobes.
Season with salt and pepper and dredge very lightly with flour.
Heat the peanut oil until it is very hot and saute the brains briskly until golden brown all over.
Remove from the pan, drain on paper towel to remove excess oil, and keep warm.
Wipe the pan clean, add the butter, and heat until foaming and turning dark brown, but not actually black (it has always been called "black" butter, but one never actually burns it black).
Return the brains to the pan, and baste with the butter for a few minutes over moderate heat. Add the capers, sizzle, then add the vinegar and chopped parsley.
Serve directly on hot plates, preferably straight from the pan.
© 1994, 2006 Simon Hopkinson
Nutritional Information
Nutrients per serving
Nutritional information is based on 16 servings, 1/8 teaspoon of added salt per serving, and using 4lbs of calves brain.
245 kcal
6 % daily value
22 % daily value
3 % daily value
332 mg
17 mg
13 g
0 g
0 g
3 g
3429 mg
180 mg
7 g
20 g
17 % daily value
