Use your loaf!
I mentioned elsewhere the Chinese phrase 吃什么补什么 (chī shén me bǔ shén me) or ‘eat it to repair it’, a belief derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and applied to Chinese nutrition theory. This basically suggests that should some part of your body not be performing up to par, then eating the same part from a healthy animal will help. Utter nonsense, of course, yet many believe it.
Which brings me to my late wife’s favourite porcine part. She was a smart cookie, as they say, yet half-subscribed to the theory, while her innate logic fought it off. Years of conditioning and propaganda to be fought off.
Her favourite part is to be found between the ears just mentioned in my last post. Yes, she was very partial to a breakfast of 猪脑 (zhū nǎo) - brains. Pig brains to be precise.
This I find to be a divisive part of the animal. Some may be reminded that the pig is an intelligent sentient animal; many more are just put off by the sight of the raw brains, so similar to our own. Yet, not so much the Chinese. Brains are routinely displayed in vacuum packed trays on the supermarket butchery counters.
Brains are also popular in France and in parts of the USA. Available canned, I believe. Here we only get them when they have just stopped thinking.
Pig Brains
This low, but complete, protein food comes with a host of nutrients, especially the ‘good’ fats and contains negligible amounts of carbohydrates. They are rich in vitamins (especially the B-group) and essential minerals.
Probably the most popular way to serve the brains and my wife’s go-to is to scramble them with eggs for breakfast. They have the texture of a creamy, smooth fish roe (although no fishiness) or are reminiscent of tofu. They are mild tasting with none of the gaminess associated with some offal.
The brain, like your and mine, comes in two lobes. These should be separated and any membranes removed, then the two halves soaked in cold salted water. This helps to remove any lingering blood. The brains are then boiled for ten minutes in fresh water. Then shocked by dropping them into an ice bath.
Once cooled, the brains are diced, seasoned and gently fried with some eggs. When the eggs are scrambled the brains are ready.
Alternatively, the brains can be simply sliced and shallow fried with onions and served on toast. They can also be coated in panko with capers and anchovies and deep fried. Recipe here.
In place of pig brains, lamb and calf brains make good substitutes, but are unavailable here.
