Cervelle de Canut

[bleudauvergne]

Yes, but what kind of cheese?

Does anyone who makes this at home know if this is made with creme fraiche like the kind that is slightly fermented or just plain fromage blanc veloute?

Thank you for your kind advice.

-Lucy

[tate]

I've seen it made with straight fromage blanc but oftentimes with fromage frais de chevre + creme fraiche...my personal (and fattier) favorite is the latter! I love this stuff. It tastes like Ranch dressing's long lost Euro cousin.

[bleudauvergne]

It smells fabulous. We'll have some tonight!

[marlena spieler]

I make my own version of cervelle de canut:

start with fromage frais or blanc, a smooth cottage cheese like fresh cheese.

to this i add: a bit of soft room temperature mashed or whipped butter, or a little cream. then lots of: chopped shallots, garlic, chives, tarragon, chervil, and sometimes parsley, a few drops of lemon juice or a spoonful of dry white wine. Salt and pepper to taste.

Then put it into a cheesecloth in a strainer, or in a jar, and refrigerate overnight while it drips.

I serve it with carrot sticks as a dip, or with bread for spreading, or....well, taste it. yummy with baked or boiled potatoes too, or layered with sliced cucumbers for a salade composee, or surrounded with wedges of summery tomatoes.

Or I just eat it with a spoon sometimes.

Marlena

[bleudauvergne]

I make my own version of cervelle de canut:

start with fromage frais or blanc, a smooth cottage cheese like fresh cheese.

to this i add: a bit of soft room temperature mashed or whipped butter, or a little cream. then lots of: chopped shallots, garlic, chives, tarragon, chervil, and sometimes parsley, a few drops of lemon juice or a spoonful of dry white wine. Salt and pepper to taste.

Then put it into a cheesecloth in a strainer, or in a jar, and refrigerate overnight while it drips.

I serve it with carrot sticks as a dip, or with bread for spreading, or....well, taste it. yummy with baked or boiled potatoes too, or layered with sliced cucumbers for a salade composee, or surrounded with wedges of summery tomatoes.

Or I just eat it with a spoon sometimes.

Marlena

That sounds really good. I'm going to try it. Thank you, Marlena.

[marlena spieler]

good luck with your cervelle de canut, bleud'auvergne.........

the raw ingredients you have in france to work with are so superb, the finished result should be delicious......i try to make it with French cheeses which i get here in britain easily, but they are never so delicious as they are freshly made.....

and also, any bread that you get for toast will be a thousand times better than the bread we get here, although at least in london we can get the excellent pain levain made my the late lionel poilane of Paris, a dear friend of mine.

cut into fingers, then toasted and spread with cervelle de canut.......yum. and sometimes i top it with sliced cucumber too.

x

marlena

[bleudauvergne]

I'll document it and report back.