Cervelle de Canut


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.
29 K 3.5/5 (2 reviews)
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Last modified on: August 1st 2021
For 500 g, you will need:

Change these quantities to make:
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 25 min.
Resting: 1 hour
All in all: 1 hour 25 min.
When should you start or finish this recipe?
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
Cervelle de Canut
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.
Cervelle de Canut
Meanwhile, peel 3 shallots and 2 cloves garlic. Prepare the chives and parsley.

If you can, pick a few chive flowers as well.

Stage 3 - 3 min.
Cervelle de Canut
Chop the shallots and garlic cloves very finely.

Stage 4 - 2 min.
Cervelle de Canut
Chop the parsley and chives.

Stage 5 - 2 min.
Cervelle de Canut
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.
Cervelle de Canut
Salt and pepper, then add 4 tablespoons olive oil and 4 tablespoons white (spirit) vinegar. Beat again to mix well.

Stage 7 - 2 min.
Cervelle de Canut
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.

Stage 8
Cervelle de Canut
You can enjoy it on fingers of toast...

Stage 9
Cervelle de Canut
...as an aperitif snack.

Stage 10
Cervelle de Canut
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.
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 recipe50 RDI=20 %40 RDI=4 %100 RDI=10 %1,210 RDI=60 %5,050 RDI: 60 %
Per 100 g7 RDI=3 %5 RDI=1 %10 RDI=2 %180 RDI=9 %750 RDI: 9 %
The % figures are calculated in relation to the Recommended Dietary Intake , or RDI of 2,000 k-calories (or 8,400 k-joules) per day for a woman Change to a man
Possible allergens in this recipe: Milk, Sulfites
How much will it cost?
  • For 500 g : 2.60 €

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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)
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