No. 901 — Hot Vinaigrette of Calf Brains with Crayfish

Soak the brains from two calf heads, remove the membranes and boil in salted boiling water with a little vinegar. Drain in a sieve, cool and cut into small pieces.

Melt 1½ spoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, stirring in ½ spoonful of flour. Thin with 1–1½ glasses of cream and bring to the boil.

Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, adding one or two chopped champignons fried in butter, the shelled tails of twenty to twenty-five crayfish and around twenty pieces of tender boiled asparagus.

Boil the mixture, add the brains and a little finely chopped dill or parsley, bring briefly to the boil and transfer to a serving dish bordered with a ring of puff pastry from No. 303.

To make the pastry ring, prepare half the quantity indicated in No. 303. Roll the pastry into a long strip sufficient to surround the dish and about a finger thick.

Cut decorative edges, join the ends, brush with egg, bake on a lightly floured sheet and carefully transfer the ring to the serving dish. Spoon the hot vinaigrette into the centre.