Skip to content
H. Schønberg ErkenArkivet
NOENLog in

Calf's Brain

Erken's basic recipe (1914) for breaded calf's brain: the brains are soaked, heated slowly to the boiling point, cleaned of skin and fibers, given a boil, cooked 20 minutes in a spiced court bouillon with onion, bay leaf, vinegar and root vegetables, halved, breaded in egg and rusk crumbs and fried golden brown in butter. Served with vegetables and a brown, sharp sauce. Also applies to pig brains.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 222 (falt i det fri)

Be the first to rate

About the dish

The basic recipe for breaded calf's brain in the offal chapter of "Stor kokebok" (1914). Erken stresses thorough soaking and gentle heating, and notes that pig brains are treated the same way.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Blanch the brains

    Place the well-soaked and washed calf brains in a pot with enough cold water to just cover them. Heat slowly and take the pot off at the boiling point.

  2. 2

    Clean

    Take out the brains and remove the skin and fibers. Give them a boil in boiling, salted water and cool them in cold water.

  3. 3

    Cook in spiced court bouillon

    Bring the water, salt, peppercorns, the cleaned cut-up onion, bay leaf, vinegar and the cleaned vegetables to a boil in an enameled pot. Let the brains simmer here for 20 minutes, take them out and cool.

  4. 4

    Bread

    Cut the brains in two, sprinkle with pepper and salt, turn them in beaten egg and then in rusk crumbs.

  5. 5

    Fry and serve

    Fry them light golden brown in the pan in the lightly browned butter. Serve with vegetables, fried parsley or fried tomatoes and a brown, sharp sauce. Pig brains are treated the same way.

Changes from the original

Measurements are given in modern units (liters, teaspoons, tablespoons, grams). "Ground rusk" is kept but can be replaced with breadcrumbs. The method is divided into numbered steps and the language modernized.

In stores now

Clean, minimally processed groceries matched to the ingredients — approximate prices.

Product data and prices via Kassalapp. Prices are updated daily and may vary.

Tidsmaskin – hva endret seg?

Velg to utgaver og se hva Henriette Schønberg Erken la til, fjernet eller endret mellom dem.

Fra19141949Modernisert
Til19141949Modernisert
1914 (korrekturlest, s. 222) → 1949 (korrekturlest, s. 252)~37% av teksten endretfjernetlagt til
2 kalvehjerner 1 l. vand vann 2 teskeer teskjeer salt 3 pepperkorn 1 løk 1 laurbærblad 1 teske teskje eddik 1 skive sellerirot ½ gulerot ½ persillerot ½ teske teskje pepper 1 egg 2 spiseskeer spiseskjeer støtt kavring 50 gr. smør. De godt utvandede utvannede og vaskede kalvehjerner sættes settes over ilden varmen med saa så meget koldt vand, vann at vandet netop staar vannet nettop står over, opvarmes langsomt, tages tas av ved kokepunktet. Hjernerne tages Hjernene tas op og befries for skind skinn og trevler; gives gis et opkok i kokende, saltet vand, vann, avkjøles i koldt vand. Vand, vann. Vann, salt, pepperkorn, den rensede, opskaarne opskårne løk, laurbærbladet, eddik og de rensede grønsaker sættes grønnsaker settes over ilden varmen i emaljert gryte; heri smaakoker hjernerne småkoker hjernene i 20 minutter, tages tas op, avkjøles. — Deles i 2, bestrøes med pepper og salt, vendes i det vispede egg, derefter i kavring, stekes lys gulbrune paa pande på panne i det let lett brunede smør. — Serveres med grønsaker, grønnsaker, stekt persille eller stekte tomater. Brun, skarp saus. Svinehjerner behandles paa på samme maate. måte.

Community interpretations

Be the first to share your own version.

See interpretations →

Frequently asked questions

How long should the calf's brain cook?
After blanching and cleaning, the brains simmer 20 minutes in the spiced broth with onion, bay leaf, vinegar and vegetables. They are then cooled before being halved and breaded. The total time is about 90 minutes.
Why should the brain be soaked and blanched first?
Soaking and a first slow heating (taken off at the boiling point) draw out the blood so membranes and fibers can be removed easily. A quick boil in boiling, salted water and cooling in cold water firm up the meat so it holds its shape.
How is the brain breaded?
The cooled halves are sprinkled with salt and pepper, turned in beaten egg and ground rusk (2 tablespoons) and fried in butter, about 50 grams.
What flavors the court bouillon?
1 liter of water with salt, 3 peppercorns, onion, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, a slice of celeriac, ½ carrot and parsley root. Use an enameled pot, as Schønberg Erken specifies in Stor kokebok (1914), p. 222.

Related recipes

More dishes in the same category from the archive

Read also

Kommentarer

Ingen kommentarer ennå. Bli den første til å dele!