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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.
32 K 3.5/5 (2 reviews)
1 hour 25 min.
Easy
500 g
10 IngredientsLast modified on: August 1st 2021
For 500 g, you will need:
- 1
400 g cottage (or curd) cheese - 2
3 shallots - 3
2 cloves garlic - 4
chives - 5
parsley - 6
4 tablespoons liquid cream - 7
4 tablespoons olive oil - 8
4 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar - 9
salt - 10
pepper - Total weight: 675 grams
Change these quantities to make:
Change measures:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 25 min.
Resting: 1 hour
All in all: 1 hour 25 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 1 hour
Thoroughly drain 400 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 3 shallots and 2 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 4 tablespoons liquid cream and beat with a whisk to loosen the cheese.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Salt and pepper, then add 4 tablespoons olive oil and 4 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
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 50 RDI=20 % | 40 RDI=4 % | 100 RDI=10 % | 1,210 RDI=60 % | 5,050 RDI: 60 % |
| Per 100 g | 7 RDI=3 % | 5 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 180 RDI=9 % | 750 RDI: 9 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 500 g : 2.60 €
Change currency: 
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
Like these other recipes: Cottage cheese tart, Frozen cottage cheese with strawberries, ... See them all 2
White (spirit) vinegar
Like these other recipes: Puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée), How to prepare romanesco, Poached eggs, Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, Béarnaise sauce, ... See them all 18
Liquid cream
Like these other recipes: Croque-monsieur complet, Little vanilla, clementine and chestnut verrines, Tatin apples with mascarpone cream, Icelandic-style fish and vegetable pie, Hearty potato and ham gratin, ... See them all 170
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Broken eggs with mushrooms, Fisherman's Ragout, French-style peas, Refreshing summer salad, Rice à l'italienne, ... See them all 530
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