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Sheep's Brains, Matelote Of

Take eight unbroken sheep's brains. Put them into a large vessel with some lukewarm water; take off the skin, and let them disgorge for two hours. When they are become quite white, blanch them in boiling water, vinegar, and salt; and when they are very firm put them in cold water, after which place some layers of bacon round a stewpan big enough to hold all the eight brains; add a small onion with one clove, a small bundle of parsley well-seasoned, and some salt, and cover with slices of bacon and a round of paper; a little broth is required, and a few slices of lemon to keep the brains very white. Twenty minutes will suffice to boil them, but they must be boiled two hours or more before dinner to acquire a flavour; then at dinner you must have ready some croutons, or small crusts of bread, in quantity equal to the brains, stick them in the dish alternately to leave room to put the brains in the spaces; mask them with the matelote sauce, mushrooms, and small onions, etc. This matelote is the same sauce as the financiere, only reduce a little Madeira wine in a small stewpan, and put in it a mushroom, a small glazed onion, a small quenelle, etc., and put the ragout into the middle, and the sauce over the brains.