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.
30 K 3.5/5 (2 reviews)
1 hour 25 min.
Easy
1 kg 500 g
10 IngredientsLast modified on: August 1st 2021
For 1 kg 500 g, you will need:
- 1
5 cups 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
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 5 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 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
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 140 RDI=60 % | 120 RDI=10 % | 290 RDI=40 % | 3,620 RDI=180 % | 15,160 RDI: 180 % |
| 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 500 g : 7.80 €
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: Frozen cottage cheese with strawberries, Cottage cheese tart, ... See them all 2
Liquid cream
Like these other recipes: Blackberry and almond fondant tart, Mousse with two chocolates, Icelandic-style fish and vegetable pie, Layered Leek and Egg Gratin , Pasta with mustard-cream sauce, ... See them all 170
Olive oil
Like these other recipes: Pan-fried chicken breast on mozzarella, Tomato pesto, Creamy rice with spinach, Frichti from Bruxelles, Mixed seed grissini, ... See them all 521
White (spirit) vinegar
Like these other recipes: How to prepare romanesco, Pickled gherkins, How to prepare sorrel, Caesar salad, How to prepare cabbage, ... See them all 18
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