Cervelle à la Maréchale

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •3-quart (2.8 L) nonreactive saucepan
• •12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet
• •Three shallow breading dishes
• •Wire rack and rimmed baking tray
• •Thin sharp slicing knife
• •Slotted spatula
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Oval serving platter

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak and clean

   Place the calf brains in a nonreactive bowl and cover them generously with very cold water. Soak for 45 minutes, changing the water every 15 minutes, until it remains nearly clear. Lift each brain with both hands and gently pull away the thin surface membrane, dark vessels, and any clotted blood with your fingertips. Never squeeze or tug at the lobes; their delicacy is the reason for the cold water.

   Buy the brains from an inspected specialist butcher and ask whether they have already been cleaned and poached. If they have, begin with the drying and chilling at the end of the next step.
2. 2

   Poach and chill

   Combine 2 quarts (1.9 L / 1.9 kg) of the measured water, the vinegar, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 12 g) of the salt in a wide saucepan. Bring it just below a simmer, lower in the brains, and hold the liquid at the barest tremble for 12 to 15 minutes, until the lobes feel set and the centre reaches at least 160°F (71°C). A hard boil will batter them against the pan. Transfer them carefully to an ice bath, cool for 10 minutes, then drain, pat thoroughly dry, and chill uncovered on a towel-lined tray for 30 minutes. If a lobe separates, don't discard it; chill it intact and cut smaller regular slices from it.

3. 3

   Blanch the asparagus

   Bring the remaining 2 quarts (1.9 L / 1.9 kg) water and remaining 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 12 g) salt to a boil. Add the asparagus tips and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until bright green and just tender when pierced. Move them into fresh ice water, then drain and dry them well. This blanching can wait; their final butter glaze cannot, so leave that until the brains are browned.

4. 4

   Paner à l'anglaise

   Cut the cold brains across into regular slices one-third inch (8 mm) thick, wiping the knife between cuts. Arrange the flour, the prepared Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174), and the very fine breadcrumbs in three shallow dishes. Dust each slice lightly with flour, coat it completely in the Anglaise, then press it gently into the crumbs so no damp patches remain. Set the slices on a rack for 10 minutes to let the coating adhere. If a bare patch appears, dab it with a little more Anglaise and press on fresh crumbs. Ça se rattrape.

   Use fine, dry crumbs and press without compacting. Coarse crumbs make a heavy shell that overwhelms the brain, while loose crumbs fall into the butter and burn.
5. 5

   Brown in butter

   Set a rack over a tray in a 200°F (95°C) oven. Heat the clarified butter in a broad skillet to about 350°F (175°C), or until a pinch of crumbs sizzles immediately without blackening. Fry the brain slices in small batches for 1½ to 2 minutes per side, turning only once, until the crust is crisp and evenly golden. Move each batch to the rack in the low oven. If a coating begins to slide, the slice was damp or the butter too cool; lift it out, let it cool briefly, patch the bare place with Anglaise and crumbs, and brown that side again once the butter is properly hot.

6. 6

   Bind the asparagus

   Melt the unsalted butter in a clean skillet over medium-low heat. Add the dried asparagus tips with 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 15 g) of the measured blanching water and toss for 1 to 2 minutes, until the water and butter cling as a glossy coating. The tips should gather together without swimming in fat. If the butter separates into an oily puddle, take the pan off the heat, add 1 teaspoon (5 ml / 5 g) cold water, and toss firmly until it comes together again.

7. 7

   Build the circle

   Warm an oval serving platter with hot water and dry it. Arrange the browned brain slices in a neat, lightly overlapping circle, then lay one thin slice of black truffle on every piece. Gather the butter-bound asparagus tips into a generous heap at the centre. Serve immediately while the coating is crisp and the truffle is warmed by the brain beneath it. No extra sauce, lemon, or stray parsley is needed. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Buy calf brains only from a legally approved, inspected specialist butcher. Neurological tissue is regulated in many places, and careful cooking is not a substitute for inspected sourcing.
• •Clarified butter is the correct frying fat because its milk solids have been removed, allowing the crumb to turn gold before the butter burns. Ordinary butter blackens too quickly here, and margarine has no place in the pan.
• •Make the breadcrumbs from dry white bread and pass them through a sieve. Panko is too coarse for this fine shell; the source asks for very fine crumbs because the crust must protect the brain without becoming the main event.
• •Use a real black truffle, fresh in season or preserved whole in its own liquor. Truffle-flavoured oil cannot supply the tender slice required on every piece and changes the character of the garnish.
• •This dish truly wants firm seasonal asparagus tips. Frozen or jarred tips are too wet and soft for the central heap; when good asparagus is unavailable, cook cervelle au beurre noir another evening rather than making a diminished Maréchale.
• •Serve with a dry Chablis or a restrained brut Champagne. Both have enough acidity to meet the clarified butter and the soft richness of the brain without flattening the truffle.
• •Leftovers lose the essential contrast. If you have them, refrigerate promptly and reheat on a rack at 400°F (200°C) until thoroughly hot and crisp at the edges; a microwave turns the crumb soft.

Advance Preparation

• •The brains may be soaked, cleaned, poached, cooled, and refrigerated on a towel-lined tray up to one day ahead. Keep them covered once fully cold, then uncover for 15 minutes before slicing so their surfaces dry.
• •Blanch and chill the asparagus tips up to 6 hours ahead. Dry them carefully, refrigerate them covered, and bind them with butter only while the browned brain slices are holding in the low oven.
• •Clarified butter and fine breadcrumbs can be prepared several days ahead. Keep the butter covered in the refrigerator and the crumbs dry at room temperature.
• •The brain slices may be coated and refrigerated on a rack for up to 30 minutes before frying. Longer holding dampens the crumb and weakens the crisp crust.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 290g)