Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Food & Drink => Topic started by: Tiger on 13 August, 2008, 05:24:38 pm

Title: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Tiger on 13 August, 2008, 05:24:38 pm
This is a really good pick-me-up after a ride or excellent breakfast alternative:

1 Kilo fresh calves brains
Litre milk
Nutmeg
100g sugar
Seasoning.

Halve and devein the brains along the central cortex. Remove and discard the membrane. Cut out any obvious ganglions.

Slice the brains finger thick, season, and lay up in a buttered saucepan with sugar sprinkled over each slice.

Fry gently to caramelise outer surface.

Add milk and grate nutmeg to taste - bring to a gentle simmer for 20 mins.

Discard half the milk. Leave to cool. Put into blender and whizz up to a creamy consistency. If a full 'Frappucino' effect is desired add ice and ice cream.

Decant into a large tall glass - add straws - enjoy!
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: marna on 13 August, 2008, 05:34:12 pm
This is a really good pick-me-up after a ride or excellent breakfast alternative:

But shockingly high in cholesterol!
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: mike on 13 August, 2008, 05:47:04 pm
genius.  Would be absolutely perfect with a drop of Camp.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Regulator on 13 August, 2008, 05:57:33 pm
genius.  Would be absolutely perfect with a drop of Camp.


You called?
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 13 August, 2008, 06:57:09 pm
 :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: hellymedic on 13 August, 2008, 08:21:09 pm
PRIONS R US!

 :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Julian on 13 August, 2008, 08:26:08 pm
Nah, sounds foul.  Also, breaking that bit in Deuteronomy about seething a calf in its mother's milk, and you're going straight to hell.  ;)

I'd cook the brains, chop them finely with some herbs and garlic, and spread them on toast.

I'm not a huge fan of milk by itself so I'd have to use the litre of milk in the world's largest latte.

Much nicer.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Mike J on 13 August, 2008, 08:44:54 pm
 :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: tonycollinet on 18 August, 2008, 07:59:00 pm
Goes perfectly with your semi frozen mutilated frog.

 ;D
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: rogerzilla on 18 August, 2008, 09:38:16 pm
I had faggots* yesterday evening.  That's as close to offal as I'm willing to go.


*the Mr Brain's kind, obviously.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: andygates on 18 August, 2008, 09:52:55 pm
Nom nom nom. :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: peliroja on 18 August, 2008, 09:56:59 pm
Er, is this a joke?  :-[
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: andygates on 18 August, 2008, 10:18:33 pm
Panfried brains were one of my Nan's specialities.  You just can't get 'em in the UK any more.  :(

Eggs and brains - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggs_and_brains)

Fried-brain sandwich - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_sandwich)

Nan used to slice them and gently fry in pork dripping with plenty of salt.  Serve on toast with butter or more dripping and salt.  Gods, but that takes me back.

So it might be a wind-up but it's not a joke ;)
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: tonycollinet on 18 August, 2008, 10:53:16 pm
Er, is this a joke?  :-[

Tiger seems to be going through an *interesting* recipe phase. Given his history for entertaining nonsense, I wouldn't take it too seriously.

I must admit though - I like the style.

 ;D
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Jacomus on 19 August, 2008, 10:52:01 am
 :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: ChrisO on 19 August, 2008, 11:14:10 am

Someone in the office ordered lunch a little while ago for a special event. She said "I'm bringing lamb and rice for lunch" ... I didn't realise she meant A lamb, as in an entire one. They serve it whole on a huge plate with lots of rice. It's skinned and gutted but the head is still on.

I left when they cracked it open to scoop out the brains.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: alchemy on 19 August, 2008, 11:20:19 am
It's already been said........ :sick: :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: andygates on 19 August, 2008, 11:35:37 am
Damn, this thread's making me hungry.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: hellymedic on 19 August, 2008, 11:39:57 am
 :sick: I'm getting morning sickness and I know I'n not pregnant. :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: andygates on 19 August, 2008, 12:01:04 pm
Stop reading before we get to the chitterlings :)

Back on-ish-topic has anyone ever tried the old Rocky classic of raw liver smoothie?
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Jaded on 19 August, 2008, 06:34:21 pm
Brains in a sauce with grapes. It was OK but the texture is not to my liking. A long time ago though.

Around the time I could make perfect filo pastry without thinking about it.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: pumpkin on 27 August, 2008, 09:51:37 am
Panfried brains were one of my Nan's specialities.  You just can't get 'em in the UK any more.  :(

Brains are currently on the menu at the Wanut Tree in Abergavenny. You have to go to a butcher who will supply offal.

http://www.thewalnuttreeinn.com/downloads/menu.pdf
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: border-rider on 27 August, 2008, 09:53:58 am
We had a meal in the Walnut Tree a couple of weeks ago (not the calves' brains ;))

Very nice and not too pricey, considering its former reputation.  My F-i-L did suffer from the effects of a bad scallop though  :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Treewheeler on 27 August, 2008, 09:41:00 pm
Andouillette...
Pigs rectum sausage smoked over oak chips and when heated up smells like a pig farm after heavy rain...
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: rogerzilla on 27 August, 2008, 10:20:43 pm
Ah...a French butcher's counter is full of the stuff we grind up and turn into cat food.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: pcolbeck on 28 August, 2008, 11:00:46 am
I know a good restaurant near Bezier that is a butchers by day and a restaurant by night. Not one for the veggies amongst us. Has quite a few challenging dishes for the English palate.
Title: Re: unspeakable, uneatable
Post by: Pete on 28 August, 2008, 11:15:11 am
Now ... I recall episodes from my early childhood ... that I wish I hadn't.

My father occasionally used to bring home some disgusting stuff that I think was calf's brains.  He had a penchant for that sort of thing.  I mistook it for cauliflower, on my plate, at first.  On being enlightened by my parents, I was nauseated, as well I might, and most folks on here would have been.  However, parenting being - what it was - in those days in the 1950s, I was forced to gulp down the muck - if I left stuff on the plate I got a beating.  I probably threw it up afterwards, but wasn't punished for that...

I think that there were at times, other horrors on the dinner table besides this.

I think I've said enough.  Can we now lay this nauseating thread to rest?
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Tiger on 28 August, 2008, 06:15:46 pm
Andouillette...
Pigs rectum sausage smoked over oak chips and when heated up smells like a pig farm after heavy rain...

Andouillette is indeed quite possibly the most foul thing ever created and passed off as food. I can still remember eating one years ago - in the hope that it was just an aquired taste. It leaves a foul lingering aftertaste of pigpoo or skanky meat.  Only a Frencperson would eat such filth.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: rogerzilla on 28 August, 2008, 10:06:31 pm
I imagine some pretty odd pieces of animal go into cheap sausages and meat pies ("100% beef" means it came from a cow, no more, no less) but once they're minced and well flavoured, you don't notice.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Julian on 28 August, 2008, 10:20:53 pm
Andouillette...
Pigs rectum sausage smoked over oak chips and when heated up smells like a pig farm after heavy rain...

Andouillette is indeed quite possibly the most foul thing ever created and passed off as food. I can still remember eating one years ago - in the hope that it was just an aquired taste. It leaves a foul lingering aftertaste of pigpoo or skanky meat.  Only a Frencperson would eat such filth.

I've only eaten it once, and it was helpfully hidden in a gratin.  It tastes okay, but it smells like sewers, which is slightly offputting. 
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: pcolbeck on 29 August, 2008, 10:09:52 am
Andouillette defeated me too. That and the duck's gizzard sallad.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: duncan on 29 August, 2008, 10:17:30 am
Hmm... andouillette :-) You're making me fancy a trip to France!
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Tiger on 29 August, 2008, 10:24:18 am
Andouillette defeated me too. That and the duck's gizzard sallad.

Gizzards are OK I reckon - they are one of the things I buy loads of when we go to France for shopping as they are not found much here. Over there any good supermarket has vacuum packed gizzards ready to toss into ones salad.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: JohnMcB on 29 August, 2008, 10:48:25 am
I know a good restaurant near Bezier that is a butchers by day and a restaurant by night. Not one for the veggies amongst us. Has quite a few challenging dishes for the English palate.

Where's that? Thanks.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Charlotte on 29 August, 2008, 10:56:41 am
Andouillette defeated me too. That and the duck's gizzard sallad.

I've seen Liz and Phil cheerfully eat this (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Gesier.jpg)  :sick:
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: pcolbeck on 29 August, 2008, 10:56:49 am
La Boucherie (http://www.le-guide.com/restaurants/laboucherie.html)

Searching for  a web page for it revealed on another forum that the owners retired last year and now it is is rented out to another restaurateur so it may not be as good as it used to be.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Hot Flatus on 29 August, 2008, 12:31:47 pm
I ate a snail yesterday, never had one before. Tasted like soil.   Seemed a shame to waste it since I trod on it in the dark after coming home pissed.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: JohnMcB on 29 August, 2008, 01:52:52 pm
La Boucherie (http://www.le-guide.com/restaurants/laboucherie.html)

Searching for  a web page for it revealed on another forum that the owners retired last year and now it is is rented out to another restaurateur so it may not be as good as it used to be.

Many thanks.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: hellymedic on 29 August, 2008, 04:58:44 pm
Andouillette defeated me too.

IRTA.. Oh never mind!
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: redshift on 01 September, 2008, 02:05:14 pm
I've only eaten it once, and it was helpfully hidden in a gratin.  It tastes okay, but it smells like sewers, which is slightly offputting

Hell, you don't even need meat for that.  Ever tried a Durian?  Smells of sewers, tastes of boiled onions, and possibly almonds, with the consistency of slightly fibrous custard.  I'm being generous here, you understand?
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: αdαmsκι on 01 September, 2008, 04:12:45 pm
I have tired durian :sick:  I couldn't get the taste from my mouth for the rest of the day.  It's amazing how smelly (non-rotten) fruit can be.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Tiger on 01 September, 2008, 04:46:30 pm
I have tired durian :sick:  I couldn't get the taste from my mouth for the rest of the day.  It's amazing how smelly (non-rotten) fruit can be.

I thought  durian was one of the finest things I have ever eaten.  It smells no worse than brie which also tastes simply wonderful.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: pcolbeck on 01 September, 2008, 09:30:29 pm
Durian smell of rotting meat ! Thai airports have big posters up telling you in no uncertain terms you cant bring one on a plane.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Tiger on 04 September, 2008, 11:24:10 am
Brie smells of long dead things too. But tastes heavenly. Always makes me think - who was the first person, who onsmelling something so totally vile it makes you want to gag, thinks 'Hmm - I bet that tastes good!'.
In Iceland they like to eat rotting sharkmeat that has been fermeted for months until it pongs like brie. Apparently though it tastes like rotting shark meat.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: Che on 04 September, 2008, 12:10:36 pm
I imagine some pretty odd pieces of animal go into cheap sausages and meat pies ("100% beef" means it came from a cow, no more, no less) but once they're minced and well flavoured, you don't notice.
I had assumed beef meant meat, as in skeletal muscle. I'm willing to stand corrected, however.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: rafletcher on 04 September, 2008, 12:51:50 pm
I imagine some pretty odd pieces of animal go into cheap sausages and meat pies ("100% beef" means it came from a cow, no more, no less) but once they're minced and well flavoured, you don't notice.
I had assumed beef meant meat, as in skeletal muscle. I'm willing to stand corrected, however.

It certainly means lung, lips, gonads etc along with muscle.
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: tiermat on 04 September, 2008, 12:54:29 pm
I imagine some pretty odd pieces of animal go into cheap sausages and meat pies ("100% beef" means it came from a cow, no more, no less) but once they're minced and well flavoured, you don't notice.
I had assumed beef meant meat, as in skeletal muscle. I'm willing to stand corrected, however.

Try a search for MRM, or mechanically recovered meat, then see if you stop eating burgers, pies and sossidges
Title: Re: Creamy Poached Calves Brain smoothie
Post by: andygates on 04 September, 2008, 01:23:19 pm
Not I.  I'll boil up a carcass to make stock, soup and stew - MRM's no different.  Less wasteful!