Garden Pest To Escargot Recipe

How to make it

---

• “Francois says” (or sorta says).
• 1. “After you gather them, the snails need to fast for 2-3 days, to get rid of all the grit they will have ingested while feeding”. They need to be thoroughly rinsed at least once a day. I use the garden hose. Also, keep the container in a cool spot out of direct sunlight.
• 2. "After the fast, your snails are ready to become escargots. Before the DO's, a few important DON'TS:"
• 3. "DO NOT sprinkle the snails with salt prior to cooking. This obsolete French custom was originally thought to help rid the snail of its slime. The practice is both cruel and quite ineffective. Commercial outfits have abandoned the procedure. We suggest you trust their wisdom."
• 4. "Do not remove the tortillon, or gall. This protrusion spirals into the inner shell and contains the snail's liver. Cooks formerly removed it due to ignorance of snail physiology. Save yourself the time and extra work. Removing the tortillon eliminates the most nutritious and good-tasting portion of the snail.
• 5. "DO NOT cook a dead snail. Never give a snail the benefit of the doubt. If you think a snail might be dead, poke it with a sharp object and if it doesn’t react, discard it."
• NOW THE DO’s
• 6. "Boil 1 gal. (4 ltr.) of water. When it maintains a rolling boil, add the snails. They will be very uncooperative unless they have withdrawn into their shells. A shake of the container in which they await cooking should force them back into their shells."
• 7. "Boil for THREE (3) minutes, then drain and rinse the snails in cold water for several minutes more. Following this rinse, remove the snails from their shells, (While some gourmets continue cooking them inside their shells, we do not recommend this. The shell can be fragile and could chip into the meat during the final cooking process). Although a two-pronged fork (like a fondue fork) is ideal for the task, any sharp object such as a small knife or a knitting needle (a bamboo skewer) may be used for removing the snails."
• 8. "Extracting the snail is not a difficult procedure, but it does require a little practice. Hold the shell in one hand and poke the meaty part of the foot with your fork. Gently and firmly twist the hand holding the snail as you counter twist and pull up with the hand holding the fork. If this does not loosen the snail, it may be that you overcooked it (3 minutes is 3 minutes). One of the secrets to success with snails is patience. As with any other new challenge, practice will make you an expert."
• 9. "Wash the unshelled snails, gently but thoroughly, at least 3 times in vinegar and water (¼ cup of vinegar to 4 cups of water) to eliminate remaining mucus.
• 10. Drain well and cook for 30 minutes in 4 cups water with bay leaves, thyme, ½ cup wine and salt and pepper."
• 11. "In the meantime, if you plan to serve your snails in their shells, examine the shells for cracks or holes. Wash the sound shells thoroughly and cook one hour in a solution of baking soda and water (½ cup baking soda to a gallon of water). Dry in an oven preheated to 300 F." I gave up serving escargot in the shells years ago. It’s un-necessary and It’s a pain in the backside. Also, I like escargot with mushrooms and I grow mushrooms. They also have those nice little serving dishes for escargot.
• 12. "When the escargots are done, drain and cool. You may now freeze them for later use or serve them for more immediate enjoyment.”
• There are any number of delicious recipes around and I will post 2 or 3. Or, let your imagination run away with you. There is more to escargot than butter and garlic."