Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [211]
5. When the brains are quite firm, cut them into pieces about ½ inch thick. Dip them into the beaten egg, letting the excess flow back into the plate or bowl, then turn them in the bread crumbs, coating them well all over.
Ahead-of-time note You can prepare the brains up to this point several hours in advance on the same day you expect to fry them. Also see the alternative to frying in the variation below with poached brains.
6. Put enough vegetable oil in a skillet to come ¼ inch up the sides, and turn on the heat to high. When the oil is very hot, slip the pieces of brains into the pan, putting in no more at one time than will fit loosely, without crowding. Cook until a fine, golden crust forms on one side, then turn and do the other side. Transfer to a cooling rack to drain or to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat the procedure with the remaining pieces, until all are done. Serve immediately, with wedges of lemon on the side.
Poached Brains with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice Variation
The juices of those two quintessentially Mediterranean fruits, the olive and the lemon, have a beguilingly fragrant effect on poached brains. Poach the brains as described above, drain them, and let them cool partially. Do not refrigerate. When the brains are just slightly warmer than room temperature, cut into thin slices, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Sprinkle with salt and coarsely ground black pepper, and serve at once.
Oxtail, Vaccinara Style
Vaccinari is the old Roman word for butchers, and the dish they chose to make for themselves was oxtail, in a manner that came to be known as alla vaccinara, butcher’s style. That they favored oxtail is not surprising, not merely because it was an inexpensive cut, but because it substantiated the adage that the meat with the most flavor is that near the bone.
Note An ingredient of the traditional recipe is pork rind, which usually comes from the jowl. It makes an interesting contribution to the consistency as well as to the underlying flavor of the dish, but it is not an absolutely indispensable component, and if you cannot find it, it is preferable to omit it rather than forego making the oxtail. Also see, in this connection, the introductory remarks in the recipe for Beans and Sauerkraut Soup.
For 4 to 6 servings
OPTIONAL: ¼ pound fresh pork jowl OR pig’s feet OR pork hock (see note above)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon lard or ham fat OR 1 additional tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup chopped parsley
½ teaspoon chopped garlic
⅔ cup chopped onion
⅔ cup chopped carrot
2½ pounds oxtail (thawed, if frozen), severed at each joint
1½ cups dry white wine
½ cup canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, drained and chopped very coarse
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
1½ cups celery chopped very coarse
1. If using fresh pork jowl or other fresh pork rind: Put the pork rind in a soup pot with 1 quart of water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, drain, discarding the cooking liquid, and cut the rind into ¾- to 1-inch-wide strips. Do not be alarmed if it is tough. It will soften to a creamy consistency in subsequent cooking.
If using fresh pig’s feet or pork hock: Put the pork in a soup pot with enough water to cover by 2 inches, put a lid on the pot, and adjust heat so that the water bubbles at a slow, but steady boil for 1 hour.
Take the pork out of the pot, bone it, and cut it into ½-inch strips.
2. Choose a heavy-bottomed or enameled cast-iron pot that can later contain all the ingredients. Put in the olive oil, the lard or ham fat, if using it, the parsley, garlic, onion, and carrot, and turn on the heat to medium. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Turn the heat up to medium high, and add the oxtail and pork. Brown the oxtail, turning the pieces until you have browned them all around. Add the wine, let it simmer briskly for 20 to 30 seconds, then add the cut-up tomatoes, 1 cup water, salt, and pepper. Turn all the ingredients over to coat well. Bring to a steady