Comments on: Sautéed Cerveaux (Fried Brains)

By: Raif Tawakol

Raif Tawakol — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 04:43:11 +0000

Have not had sautéed brain since I left the Middle Easr 45 years ago, where we had it regularly “delicious”

Excellent recipe and very clear handling of the brain to remove the slightly gamy flavor if it is not washed carefully.

We had it breaded by dipping the brain in egg batter then crispy breaking then fry the sliced parts

Thank you

Raif Tawakol M.D.
Regards

By: RB

RB — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 09:41:26 +0000

Mother did much the same when I was a kid. Served them on toast as a Sunday tea. Not been able to find them for the last 50 years, apart from once on a menu in France, but recently found veal brains in a turkish supermarket. Just as I remember them. Nothing to fear from them. It’s a very pleasant and delicate taste. I would advise slicing them to ensure they cook through.

By: Joseph Lim

Joseph Lim — Sat, 02 May 2015 06:12:26 +0000

Lovely, even heat is very important in keeping the flavour and the butter absorption into the flour. Delicious.

By: Hagargeranit

Hagargeranit — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 17:08:38 +0000

Wonderful explanation and recipe!

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 02:49:18 +0000

Sorry in between the slicing and the cracker crumbs she dipped them in beaten eggs, and the cracker crumbs

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 02:45:21 +0000

When I was very young my Mother would fix brains for dinner and I ended up loving them. She soaked them over night and then removed all of the veins and the thin covering. Then she drained them and then blanched them. Next she sliced them and dipped them in soda cracker crumbs and fried them til crisp. When she served them it was with mustard.

By: Selina

Selina — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 08:40:30 +0000

The first time I ever tasted Lambs Brains was in a little quaint french restaurant called the Retreat in the hinterland behind the Gold Coast of Surfers Paradise, Queensland, Australia. They were crumbed. I fell in love! It was a regular haunt for us and I never ordered anything else. This was way back in 1989.
After that time we moved to New Zealand, had a family etc.. But would you believe that now Lambs Brains is so hard to get as they are mostly exported as a delicacy….
A friend knew of my plight in finding some and managed to get half a dozen! How happy was I??!! So….
I am about to try your recipe tomorrow night!

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 06:15:31 +0000

Ron, You’re totally right of course, but it’s just not something we see too often in the States, and when we do a lot of “eeewwwww that’s grosssss” comes out like a two year old pointing at dog doo.

It wasn’t until I actually made the dish that I could eat it. Somehow that helped with the heeby jeebies. I don’t really like the texture too much. Maybe if it was deep fried I could appreciate it more with a little more crunch crust (although I don’t think the brains, which are very gentle, would stand up to the high heat)

But thank you for putting things in perspective! And hopefully Americans can work towards loving and eating the whole animal instead of wasting half of it….

By: Ron Smyth, Buenos Aires

Ron Smyth, Buenos Aires — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 09:41:58 +0000

I’m surprised that people who eat meat can be so prissy about eating the whole animal. If millions of people around the world eat and enjoy these foods, why is it that so many of you act like little kids rejecting mushrooms or broccoli? It’s one thing to try a dish and decide it’s not for you (although it usually takes several different preparation methods until you find your favourite) but please spare us your knee-jerk reactions. This is a food site; I have no interest in knowing that you don’t want to even try a recipe. It adds nothing to the value of the site. It’s about as informative as if vegetarians wrote every time there was a meat recipe to tell us that meat is gross.

By: Mad Dog

Mad Dog — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:45:50 +0000

I love calves brains (and all offal) – I usually do them a similar way, but smaller, like nuggets, as a starter.

By: Renato

Renato — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:56:06 +0000

You’re so beautiful

By: Aida

Aida — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:19:34 +0000

my mother-in-law recently let her secret out of the bag after some 30 years. when she made burgers but ran short of meat she substituted brains. no one ever noticed and everyone always loved her cooking. yesterday my son, who incidentally has Crohns, has been craving organ meats &pitstopped at the supermarket for brains. It’s a good day for me to be a vegetarian (21 years now) but i have to say i’ve heard only good reviews from family & friends who have had them.

By: Fishbonewg

Fishbonewg — Tue, 04 May 2010 21:03:44 +0000

Bought some calf brains and they are soaking in cold water and juice of a whole lemon as I type this. Will use your recipe in the morning!

By: Caroline

Caroline — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 14:43:36 +0000

Grew up in a house where this was a common dish. My parents having come from Europe. I never ate it as the preparation was to simply dredge them in flour and fry them up. So the dish looked like what it was… fried brains! Spent the day in Arthur Ave in the Bronx and happened to find calves brains in one a the local markets. Bought one and intend to cook it for my 87 year old father tomorrow (if I can handle the prep).

By: rene

rene — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 17:54:49 +0000

I just had brains, and they were delicious. I don’t know what you fools are talking about.

By: pete

pete — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:52:19 +0000

as a children we would go to the abbitors during school holidays and watch the slaughtermen kill the animals. (this was in the non pc world of 55 years ago). the slaughtermen would give us cows brains wrapped up in caul. we would manage to get them home and our mother would cook them in bread crumbs. i loved it and look forward to trying this recipie. i really cant see the difference between eating steak or brains. pete australia

By: Therese

Therese — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:27:00 +0000

Going to second with Toby. Being a Creole with Cajun family, I grew up on a lot of these dishes. Loved sweet beads, head cheese, and offals generally as a kid (save cow livers). This dish sounds great!

By: toby

toby — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:41:08 +0000

this is a great dish, why be scared of eating things your parents were probably raised on this old way of cooking is dying….it makes me sad..im trying to re introduce my frinds and family to old cajun dishes like this and sweet bread,pigs feet cowboy stew,pancreas….good eats!!!

By: brook adams

brook adams — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:25:37 +0000

Bought some calf’s brains today for the 1st time at our local market in le sud-est. Am going to follow your recipe and see what happens. Am very excited!

By: Jenna

Jenna — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:20:43 +0000

Gah.
I’m a fan of the offal. Really. I am. However, this dish is NOT for me.

By: julie coulter

julie coulter — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 23:36:14 +0000

do you have anymore brain recipes you can email me.
i am looking for garlic cumbed brains in mushroom sauce.
regard,
julie coulter

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 22:00:57 +0000

I think you would have to order them special from a reliable butcher. They are not easy to prepare properly because it’s necessary to pick out all the little red veins and they are delicate.
They taste like mush. I’m not a fan.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 16:21:20 +0000

Hmmm… I don’t really know where I’d find erm… brains in the U.S.
What do they taste like?

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 05:46:50 +0000

Nardac – you win the blue ribbon. I can’t believe you actually made it and ATE it…eeeeeeewwwwww grooooooosssssss!!!! It’s really gushy, huh? Beurk!
Bisous,
Ms. Glaze

By: nardac

nardac — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 10:17:34 +0000

That was really gross. My first, and last, time having brain. Bleah.

By: nardac

nardac — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 03:39:57 +0000

I’m going to try this! Like, right now! But, it’s basically all fat, right?

By: misschrisc

misschrisc — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 04:12:05 +0000

Ick…still baffles me how so many French enjoy this type of stuff. It’s good you’re being exposed to so many different dishes. You’re probably learning a lot even if you never use it in your own kitchen.
I hope you get your visa!

By: ParisBreakfasts

ParisBreakfasts — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 21:46:27 +0000

Awful offal 🙁
You couldn’t drag me to that place! And I had to shoot an all offal dinner with Charlie Trott(er)
and Daniel Bouloud at the Beard House.. don’t think I ate a bite. I’m coming back to this post next time I think I want some HagenDaz 🙂

By: Ms. Glaze

Ms. Glaze — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 07:42:50 +0000

I couldn’t bring myself to eat it. I took my knife and sliced a piece off but it didn’t get passed my lips. Funny enough, my boss passed on it too and opted for a salad so I know that not ALL French can handle offal.
Soaking the brains in milk would soften it with the lactic acid and they are pretty gushy as it is. Cold water actually draws out the blood and other impurities. Interesting idea though…
I haven’t had any luck on my visa but I did get my apprenticeship extended another two months!!! Yippeee!!!
Bisous,
Ms. Glaze

By: will

will — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 13:20:33 +0000

When done well, as this no doubt was – – I’m sure that it’s wonderful. Although I would have thought that they soak in milk rather than water – – don´t know why; it’s just something that came to mind.

By: amy

amy — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 12:05:37 +0000

So… was it good? I mean, do you, as non-offal eater, enjoy it?

By: jeorg

jeorg — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:13:10 +0000

love a good brain story. one smart looking dish. sorry. couldn’t resist.

By: mindy

mindy — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 16:32:46 +0000

That would’ve made a great Halloween post!

By: Lisa S-H

Lisa S-H — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 14:26:24 +0000

I don’t think it looks gross at all. Reminds me of sweetbreads. I’ve never had brains, does it taste like sweetbreads? And…what about Mad Cow Disease? Doesn’t it come from eating cow brains? Hummmm……

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 01:12:59 +0000

Gross.

By: melinda

melinda — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:50:53 +0000

My husband loves crumbed fried lambs brains. Will I ever cook this for him?
NO! (we have been married for 29 years and its never going to happen! LOL)

By: Scott at RealEpicurean

Scott at RealEpicurean — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 13:17:03 +0000

I will probably never get to try this, however it has me intrigued!
Offal is looked on strangely by most these days, which is surely inconsiderate to the animal which just died (for fillet steaks only, these days!).

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 08:52:35 +0000

ummm. Only three words come to mind, non, non, and non. love your blog, but can’t get into this recipe.

By: Nadine

Nadine — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 20:49:44 +0000

I oould NOT eat brains!

By: Lianne

Lianne — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 16:57:55 +0000

I had a cheeseburger animal style for lunch today so I almost agree with HUBBY. Just tell him that many of us are living our dream vicariously through you so what’s a little brain recipe to your beneficiaries? Any progress on your visa?

By: hubby

hubby — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 16:49:14 +0000

now that’s the smartest recipe I’ve ever seen. 😉 Seriously, this is why we paid all that dough for cooking school!?!?!?! I’ll take a double-double animal style please.