This site uses only a few technical cookies necessary for its operation. By continuing to browse, you accept their use.
To find out more...
To find out more...
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.
36 K 3.5/5 (2 reviews)
1 hour 25 min.
Easy
1 kg
10 IngredientsLast modified on: August 1st 2021
For 1 kg, you will need:
- 1
3 ½ cups cottage (or curd) cheese - 2
6 shallots - 3
4 cloves garlic - 4
chives - 5
parsley - 6
8 tablespoons liquid cream - 7
8 tablespoons olive oil - 8
8 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar - 9
salt - 10
pepper
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 3 ½ cups cottage (or curd) cheese: put in a strainer over a bowl and leave for at least 1 hour.
Stage 2 - 10 min.
Meanwhile, peel 6 shallots and 4 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 8 tablespoons liquid cream and beat with a whisk to loosen the cheese.
Stage 6 - 2 min.
Salt and pepper, then add 8 tablespoons olive oil and 8 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 | 100 RDI=40 % | 80 RDI=7 % | 190 RDI=30 % | 2,410 RDI=120 % | 10,100 RDI: 120 % |
| Per 100 g | 7 RDI=3 % | 5 RDI=1 % | 10 RDI=2 % | 180 RDI=9 % | 750 RDI: 9 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 1 kg : 5.20 €
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, Galette berrichone, Frozen cottage cheese with strawberries, ... See them all 3
White (spirit) vinegar
Like these other recipes: Fish petals, vegetables julienne, and beurre blanc, Poached eggs, How to prepare corn salad, Provençal remoulade sauce, Caesar salad, ... See them all 18
Liquid cream
Like these other recipes: Chantilly cream, Black Forest gateau, Eggs with green asparagus and Parmesan cheese, Rabbit civet "à la normande", Chocolate sauce, ... See them all 170
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Melt-in-the mouth meat and vegetables in a sealed casserole, Raw beetroot mousse with walnuts, Bruschetta, Beef braised in reduced red wine, Eggs meurette, ... See them all 532
Other recipes you may also like
Crème brulée
Crème brûlée (burned cream) is quite easy to prepare: it's a simple egg-cream dessert. The only difficulty is in making the delicious crunchy caramel layer on top. The perfect crème brulée (for me) is a cold and soft cream, with on top a nice hot caramel crust. This is a completely new version of the former recipe, with video. December 31th 20111.68 M 74.3 4 hours 40 min.
Soft fruits in sabayon
This recipe is made by briefly cooking an assortment of soft fruits (raspberries, blackcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, currants...) with a little sugar to glaze them. They are served in a small dish, covered with a delicious sabayon which can be lightly "burned" on surface. February 21th 2011275 K3.9 50 min.
Almond cream
Light and delicious, it is used in a lot of desserts like tarts, cakes and pies (epiphany galette). August 31th 2025475 K 25 20 min.
Marzipan (almond paste)
Very easy to do if you have a food processor which can slice or grate a lot of things. December 19th 2021643 K 34.5 15 min.
Broad bean salad with Parmesan
A salad that combines crunchy almonds, tender broad beans, with the flavours of balsamic vinegar, parmesan and herbs. February 21th 2011283 K3.8 25 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-09-21)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Post a comment or question
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.