Chef Pierre Molin,
Red Lantern Restaurant
Escargots imported from France are an ancient delicacy. Prehistoric sites have shown piles of snail shells indicating that humans have been eating them for centuries. The Romans also loved these chewy morsels and cultivated vineyards on which the snails could feed and fatten. The first French recipe for snails was written around 1390.
Ingredients
Garlic butter
1 cup butter
1 heaping Tbsp crushed garlic
Dash brandy
Dash lemon juice
Pinch parsley
Escargots
24 large French escargots
2 1/4 cups dry white wine, divided
24 mushroom caps
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Method
Garlic butter
1. In a mixer, combine all ingredients and let set for at least three hours.
Escargots
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2. Drain escargots and place in a small mixing bowl. Fill bowl with white wine until escargots are covered. Let soak for 10 minutes.
3. In a frying pan, sauté mushroom caps in 2 Tbsp of garlic butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fry caps until half cooked. Deglaze with 1/4 cup of the white wine. Place mushroom caps in escargot dish.
4. Add one escargot in each mushroom cap. Spread remaining garlic butter over them. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp of parmesan and chopped parsley over top each dish.
5. Place escargots in oven for approximately 10-15 minutes. When butter and parmesan turn golden brown, remove from heat.
6. Serve with french bread.
Yield 4 servings