Veal Brains Grenobloise & Sparkly

Again, an interlude from pizza. Check back for today’s pizza post around 7PM. 

I had a dish Monday night that is worth some mention, because it is by far the strangest thing I’ve eaten. It may not be the strangest thing you’ve eaten, but keep in mind, as a child I was so disgusted by the smell of seafood I had to hold my nose and run by the seafood counter at the grocery store, as I would start dry heaving upon initial smell/sight of the shrimp and other sea goodies. I wasn’t comfortable eating seafood until college. I have a problem with certain food textures. 

So when my roommate and I were at Holeman & Finch recently (more H&F posts from me here and here) and we inquired about the veal brains grenobloise, and the reply was, “it’s good, but be careful if textures are a problem for you”, I was a bit concerned. Relentless, and slightly buzzed, we pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps and pressed on with the order of brains. BRAINS!!!

I didn’t know what grenobloise indicated, so quick background: a style from the French city of Grenoble, the dish is often served with a sauce of browned butter, capers, parsley, and lemon. 

When our dish arrived, I wasn’t too scared just checking it out. It was presented in an individual sized cast iron skillet, a 4″ x 2″ lovely browned piece of brain, drenched in butter, topped with small croutons, and served over a small bed of lightly sautéed arugula. 

As I pressed the knife to the exterior, the firm looking meat instantly “squished” down and broke open, revealing a soft white flesh…a cross section that we’ve all seen before…it was clearly brain matter.  Oh man. 

I quickly took the first bite and began chewing….breathe through the nostrils Jimmy, breath through the nostrils! It melted instantly, softer than foie gras, with a slightly gamey flavor, and a greasy texture. I’m not a “fat” person, and this was a bit much for me from that perspective, but it wasn’t bad overall. Psychologically, it was kind of getting to me though. I could have used a little more arugula to help it along, as the vegetables really helped cut through the thick coat of brain fat that was coating my mouth and tongue. There’s quite a long finish on brain. 

A bit flushed and exhilarated, I ordered a glass of the Sektkellerei Szigeti Grüner Veltliner Brut. I’ve been digging on Grüner’s a lot lately. I like their dry, mineral complexion, and they’re often noted for being very food friendly and versatile. Also they are often well priced, many decent GV’s are in the $8-16 retail. My first sparkler of this varietal, the wine had medium yellow color, a notable amount of small bubbles, and a dry/stony nose. The nose was not deceiving; it was bone dry and the minerality was there. It could have used more fruit for sure, but it did have some light citrus. Most importantly, the wine did an excellent job of cutting through brain-fat that would not leave my mouth or my sensory memory.  

If you’re going to try some brains, H&F is the place to do it. Their commitment to quality and creativity is awesome…they know what they’re doing. Share the brains with a friend, it’s too much grease/fat for one person, and give the sparkling GV a shot. There a certain je ne sais quoi about eating brains while drinking from a champagne flute. 

(check out the article/picture of veal brains from the New York Serious Eats web page)