Lambs’ brains and parsley salad on toast
Ingredients
Serves two
Lambs’ brains, 2-3
Milk, to cover the brains
Sourdough, 2 thick slices
Court Bouillon, 2 litres
Rapeseed oil, for shallow frying
Salted butter, 75g
Roasted peanuts, a handful, chopped (additional)
Flour, enough to coat the brains, seasoned with salt and pepper
Egg yolks, 2, beaten
Panko breadcrumbs, 40g
For the parsley salad
Fresh parsley, 70g, roughly chopped
Fresh dill, 20g, roughly chopped
Lemon, juice of one (with a few drops reserved for the sauce)
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Sea salt, a pinch
For the sauce
Salted butter, 125g
Echalion shallot, 1, finely chopped
Fresh parsley, a pinch, finely chopped
Capers, 2tbsp, rinsed and roughly chopped
Method
To prepare the brains, rinse under cold water for 30 minutes, submerge in milk and chill overnight.
Remove the brains from the fridge, rinse briefly then gently split the brain into two separate lobes. Gently poach in simmering Court Bouillon for six minutes. Remove from the pan and refresh in iced water.
While cooling, roughly chop the flat leaf parsley and dill, place in a mixing bowl and dress with a drizzle of extra virgin oil, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
Once cooled, use a small pairing knife to remove any excess membrane or unattractive blood vessels – being careful to avoid damaging the brains.
Gently pat dry with kitchen paper, dredge in the seasoned flour, roll through the beaten egg yolks, then coat with a generous covering of Panko breadcrumbs.
Heat a splash of rapeseed oil in a wok or large frying pan and gently lower the breaded brains into the pan. (Test the oil’s heat by adding an excess breadcrumb. Once it sizzles, the oil is ready for frying). Cook the brains, without turning, for two-three minutes until coloured on one side. Gently turn, reduce the heat and add 75g butter to the pan and baste continuously for another three minutes, or until the brains are golden-brown and have firmed.
Meanwhile, toast the bread and make the sauce. To prepare the sauce, gently melt the butter in a clean pan then add a suggestion of lemon juice to prevent the butter from burning. Add the finely cooked shallots and sweat over a low heat until translucent. Add the capers, plus a pinch of finely chopped parsley and cook for one more minute, stirring regularly.
To plate the dish, place the toasted sourdough in the middle of the plate, then top with the breaded brains. Use a small spoon to drizzle some of the butter sauce over the brains, then crown with a fistful of the parsley and dill salad. To finish, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the brains, toast and salad. Optionally, garnish with some chopped, roasted peanuts to add extra crunch, contrasting the capers’ sourness and the brains’ somewhat “wobbly”, cloud-like texture.
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