There is a scene at the end of the movie "Hannibal" where Doctor Lector removes a piece of a heavily sedated Paul's brain and cooks it in front of him with some caper berries and onions. Paul comments on how good it smells. Then Lector feeds it to him. It's pretty damn disturbing to say the least and yet, I still find myself strangely, and I emphasize slightly envious of Paul at that very moment. Now that I confessed this fact and properly disturbed you as well let me explain what's going on here.
After painstakingly removing the brain and rinsing it under cold water, I placed it in a small metal bowl and covered it with milk. The purpose of this is to draw some of the blood out to mellow the flavor a little bit.
To make the puree, I submerged a peeled head of garlic in olive oil and cooked it for an hour in the oven. I then passed the garlic through a mesh strainer to separate the soft inside from the outside. I pureed the garlic with butter, cream and some of the oil.
For the filling I sauteed diced onions and porcini mushrooms in butter until they started to brown a little bit. At this point I tossed in the brain and sauteed it for about a minute on each side. I added a 1/4 cup of brandy and allowed it to reduce to a thick glaze. Then I pushed it through a strainer to remove veins and what-not and whipped the whole mixture to smooth it out. It was thoroughly chilled before being stuffed into handmade ravioli. It was cooked in lightly boiling salted water to finish.
I finished the dish with some fresh sliced porcinis and a drizzle of chive oil. The sauce is a reduced stock made with the skull. These ravioli actually tasted really amazing. It tasted like brain to me because I knew it was brain, but I could have easily fooled someone by telling them it was ricotta or some slightly stronger cousin of it. I still have some in my freezer, so if this post is making you salivate, give me a call.
After painstakingly removing the brain and rinsing it under cold water, I placed it in a small metal bowl and covered it with milk. The purpose of this is to draw some of the blood out to mellow the flavor a little bit.
To make the puree, I submerged a peeled head of garlic in olive oil and cooked it for an hour in the oven. I then passed the garlic through a mesh strainer to separate the soft inside from the outside. I pureed the garlic with butter, cream and some of the oil.
For the filling I sauteed diced onions and porcini mushrooms in butter until they started to brown a little bit. At this point I tossed in the brain and sauteed it for about a minute on each side. I added a 1/4 cup of brandy and allowed it to reduce to a thick glaze. Then I pushed it through a strainer to remove veins and what-not and whipped the whole mixture to smooth it out. It was thoroughly chilled before being stuffed into handmade ravioli. It was cooked in lightly boiling salted water to finish.
I finished the dish with some fresh sliced porcinis and a drizzle of chive oil. The sauce is a reduced stock made with the skull. These ravioli actually tasted really amazing. It tasted like brain to me because I knew it was brain, but I could have easily fooled someone by telling them it was ricotta or some slightly stronger cousin of it. I still have some in my freezer, so if this post is making you salivate, give me a call.