Cervelle de Canut
In French, this curious name means "silk-weaver's brain", but don't be alarmed, this tasty "brain" consists of cottage cheese mixed with herbs, vinegar and finely chopped shallots.
The Canuts were the silk weavers in the area around Lyon, France. In the nineteenth century this was one of their favourite dishes.
The Canuts were the silk weavers in the area around Lyon, France. In the nineteenth century this was one of their favourite dishes.
19K 2 3.5
Last modified on: August 1st 2021
Keywords for this recipe:For 1 kg 500 g, you will need:
- 1
1 kg 200 g cottage (or curd) cheese - 2
9 shallots - 3
6 cloves garlic - 4
chives - 5
parsley - 6
12 tablespoons liquid cream - 7
12 tablespoons olive oil - 8
12 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar - 9
salt - 10
pepper - Total weight: 2,025 grams
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Resting | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|
| 21 min. | 1 hour | 1 hour 21 min. |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 1 hour
Thoroughly drain 1 kg 200 g cottage (or curd) cheese: put in a strainer over a bowl and leave for at least 1 hour.
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Meanwhile, peel 9 shallots and 6 cloves garlic. Prepare the chives and parsley.
If you can, pick a few chive flowers as well.
If you can, pick a few chive flowers as well.
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Chop the shallots and garlic cloves very finely.
Stage 4 - 2 min.
Chop the parsley and chives.
Stage 5 - 2 min.
Transfer the drained cottage cheese to a bowl, add 12 tablespoons liquid cream and beat with a whisk to loosen the cheese.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Salt and pepper, then add 12 tablespoons olive oil and 12 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar. Beat again to mix well.
Stage 7 - 2 min.
Add the shallots, herbs and the chive flowers if you have some, and mix these in with a spoon.
Check the seasoning.
Your Cervelle de Canut is ready.
Check the seasoning.
Your Cervelle de Canut is ready.
Stage 8
You can enjoy it on fingers of toast...
Stage 9
...as an aperitif snack.
Stage 10
Or as part of a meal with, say, steamed potatoes.
Remarks
The amounts given are for guidance, so do adapt them, a little more of this or less of that, to suit your taste.
The herbs can be whatever you prefer: parsley and chives as here, or chervil and tarragon, which also work well.
The herbs can be whatever you prefer: parsley and chives as here, or chervil and tarragon, which also work well.
Keeping
1 or 2 days in the fridge, covered with plastic film.
Source
Home made.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 3,620 Kcal or 15,156 Kj | 144 gr | 117 gr | 286 gr |
| 181 % | 55 % | 11 % | 43 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 179 Kcal or 749 Kj | 7 gr | 6 gr | 14 gr |
| 9 % | 3 % | 1 % | 2 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 1 kg 500 g : 7.80 €
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Cottage (or curd) cheese : You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Frozen cottage cheese with strawberries, ... All |
 | Liquid cream: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Creamy spaghetti with cockles and parsley, Triple-Cheese Pumpkin Gratin, Leek fondue, Filet mignon with asparagus, Raw beetroot mousse with walnuts, ... All |
 | Olive oil: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Pork medallions with "full" turnips, Greek Pesto, Potato wallets, Courgettes (zuchinis) , Scallops with fondue of leeks, ... All |
 | White (spirit) vinegar: You can check-out other recipes which use it, like for example: Poached eggs, Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, Pickled gherkins, Mackerel Fillets in White Wine, How to prepare sorrel, ... All |
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