Fried Brain Sandwich Recipe
The fried brain sandwich was first created in the 1880s in St. Louis. However, over time, its popularity has dwindled, largely due to health concerns related to mad cow disease.Despite this decline, the sandwich continues to be featured annually at the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival in the city. A fried brain sandwich consists of fried slices of calves' brains served on white bread and is a dish that originated in the USA.
Ingredients
For the sandwich:
- Garlic (with skin) – 1 head
- Black peppercorns in a cheesecloth
- Bay leaf – 1
- Fresh herbs – 1 bundle
- Brains – 2 (pork, lamb, or calf)
- All-purpose flour (for coating)
- Eggs – 2
- Milk – 1/2 cup
- Breadcrumbs – 1 cup
- Vegetable oil – 1 qt
- Freshly baked buns (split in half) – 2
For the green sauce:
- Parsley (leaves only) – 1 bunch
- Dill – 1/2 bunch
- Small can of anchovy fillets (finely chopped) – 1
- Garlic (finely grated) – 12 cloves
- Capers (chopped) – 1 tbsp
- Extra virgin olive oil – 1/4 cup
- Freshly grounded black pepper
Instructions
- Begin by taking the brains and washing them with cold water.
- Next, take a 2-quart pot and pour water in it. Once it starts steaming, throw in the herbs, garlic, and peppercorns. Place the brains in the water and cook for about 15 minutes in the concoction. This will help provide the dish with an aromatic flavor.
- After 15 minutes, take out the brains from the water and drain them in a dry bowl or on a plate.
- Now, take 3 bowls. Add flour to one of the bowls, whisked eggs with milk to the other, and breadcrumbs to the third.
- Carefully, cover each brain with flour, then dip it in the egg mixture, and lastly cover it in the breadcrumbs. If you prefer your meat with an additional layer of crunch, then repeat the procedure twice.
- It’s time to take a deep-frying pan and add oil to it. Heat it up to 360 °F and deep-fry the brains until they turn golden brown and become crunchy. It may take around 3 minutes. Once they attain their golden color, transfer them onto paper towels to get rid of the excess oil.
- Now, take a saucepan and add a little butter to it. Place the buns on it and toast them until you obtain a light brown color. Once done, transfer the freshly prepared fried brain onto the buns and add your preferred toppings.
- To make the parsley green sauce, take the herbs and finely chop them. Combine them with garlic, anchovies, and capers. Pour a little bit of olive oil into the concoction until it obtains a smooth texture. Add a little bit of black pepper, and there you have it!
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 15gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 96mgSodium: 466mgFiber: 5gSugar: 5g
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