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The Chef: Cosmo Goss, chef de cuisine, The Publican, Chicago

Cosmo Goss
Photo courtesy The Publican

The Dish: Pig Brain with Scrambled Eggs, Dill and Smoked Trout Roe on Sourdough

“Tasty brains [come from] from happy pigs, and happy pigs come from antibiotic-free farms. Cook brain very gently. If you cook it hard and fast, you’ll overcook it or break it up too much.”

Ingredients

5 eggs
2 one-inch slices sourdough bread
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons clarified butter (or regular butter)
5 ounces pig brains
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
3 tablespoons smoked trout roe
2 tablespoons pickled shallots (recipe below)
1 tablespoon fresh dill, picked

Directions

In bowl, whisk eggs vigorously. Set aside. Apply olive oil to both sides of bread. Toast until golden brown. Cut each piece in half. Set aside.

In nonstick pan, add butter over medium-low heat until just warm. Add pig brains. Once brains begin to cook, approximately 15–30 seconds, add eggs. Stir gently over medium-low heat until eggs start to cook and scramble, taking care not to break up brains too much. When eggs are nearly finished, about 1½ minutes, add crème fraîche, lemon juice and zest. Season with salt. Spread egg mixture evenly over both slices of sourdough. Evenly spread trout roe and pickled shallots over both toasts. Garnish with dill. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Pickled Shallots

¾ cup Champagne vinegar
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 sprig thyme
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 cup thinly sliced shallots

Directions for Pickled Shallots

Combine ½ cup water and all ingredients except shallots in saucepot. Simmer over high heat. Once sugar dissolves, pour mixture over shallots. Let cool. Can be stored in refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

The Pairing

Alaskan Summer Kolsch-style Ale
Photo by Meg Baggott

Le Colture NV Dry (Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore); Alaskan Summer Kölsch-style Ale.

“The Prosecco cuts the richness of the egg and brain, and the bitterness of the Kölsch is amplified by the smokiness of the trout,” says Goss.