Lamb brain

Cervelle d’agneau

What it is

A lamb's brain runs to about a fifth the weight of a calf's, so it is never sliced — it is crumbed and fried whole, one per person, which is how Spanish sesos and the Turkish and Lebanese versions have always served it. Lambs are slaughtered under a year, so the BSE age rule that reshaped the calf's-brain trade never touched this one.

In the kitchen

Blanch fifteen minutes in acidulated water, cool completely, then crumb and fry it whole at 175 °C — sliced first, it collapses in the pan. The lemon at the table is not garnish: the acid is the only thing standing between it and blandness.

Goes with

T55 flour Lemon Olive oil Parsley Cumin Garlic Egg Pimentón de la Vera

Same species

Pauillac lamb Salt marsh lamb Sisteron lamb Lamb fries Leg of lamb Lamb

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