Hind's Head Hash of Snails Recipe
6
2 hours
Ingredients
Snails
- 30 uncooked snails
- 15g of carrots, peeled and diced
- 15g of leek, rinsed and sliced (white parts only)
- 25g of onion, peeled and diced
- 10g of celery, rinsed and chopped
- 10g of fennel, rinsed and chopped
- 2g of garlic, peeled but left whole
- 3g of flat-leaf parsley
- 2g of thyme
- 2g of rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2g of black peppercorns
Infusion herbs
- 3g of flat-leaf parsley
- 2g of thyme
- 2g of rosemary
Salt and vinegar pistachios
- 100g of pistachio nuts, shelled
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp of pickled walnut juice, from a jar of pickled walnuts
French toast mixture
- 125g of whole milk
- 65g of pasteurized egg white
- 30g of pasteurized egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp of English mustard
- 2 tsp undistilled malt vinegar
Garlic butter
- 300g of unsalted butter
- 30g of garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
Walnut dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 75g of grapeseed oil
- 40g of walnut vinegar
Fried capers
- 50g of salted capers
- 250g of grapeseed oil
To assemble
- salt
- 6 slices of white sourdough bread, sliced 1cm thick
- 30g of pistachio paste
- 6g of chives, finely chopped
- 8 pickled walnuts, cut into quarters
- 8 pickled pearl onions, cut into quarters
- 8 caper berries, cut into quarters
- 125g of fennel, finely shaved
- micro chervil
- freshly ground black pepper
Method
1
For the snails, preheat the oven to 120°C/gas mark 1/2
2
Rinse the snails under cold running water for 10 minutes. Place the snails, carrot, leek, onion, celery, fennel, and garlic in pan. Secure the parsley, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and peppercorns in muslin and add to the pan. Add cold water to cover and slowly bring to a boil, skimming off any impurities
- 30 uncooked snails
- 15g of carrots, peeled and diced
- 15g of leek, rinsed and sliced (white parts only)
- 25g of onion, peeled and diced
- 10g of celery, rinsed and chopped
- 10g of fennel, rinsed and chopped
- 2g of garlic, peeled but left whole
- 3g of flat-leaf parsley
- 2g of thyme
- 2g of rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 2g of black peppercorns
3
Remove the pan from heat, transfer the contents to an ovenproof tray and cover with a cartouche. Cover the tray with foil and braise in the oven for 8 hours. Remove from the oven and discard the foil, leaving the cartouche in place. Allow the braising liquid to cool to 80°C
4
Create a second muslin parcel filled with the infusion herbs and add to the hot snail mixture. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes, then discard both muslin parcels. Once the braising liquid has completely cooled, strain the snails, discarding the braising liquid and vegetables, reserving only a small amount of braising liquid to cover the snails in an airtight container. Cover and place in the fridge
- 2g of rosemary
- 3g of flat-leaf parsley
- 2g of thyme
5
For the salt and vinegar pistachios, preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3.5
6
Spread the pistachios out on a roasting tray and lightly toast in the oven. Remove and transfer to large frying pan over a high heat. Stir in the salt and walnut juice and cook until all the juice evaporates. Remove from heat and spread out on a tray lined with parchment paper to cool. Store in an airtight container
- 100g of pistachio nuts, shelled
- 1 tbsp of pickled walnut juice, from a jar of pickled walnuts
- 1 tsp salt
7
Prepare the French toast mixture by whisking all the ingredients together until fully incorporated. Cover and place in the fridge
- 2 tsp undistilled malt vinegar
- 125g of whole milk
- 65g of pasteurized egg white
- 30g of pasteurized egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp of English mustard
8
To make the garlic butter, melt 50g of the butter in a pan over low heat and add the garlic. Cook until the garlic has softened without colouring. Transfer to a deep-sided container and blend to a purée using a hand blender. Add the remaining butter gradually, blending until smooth. Cover and place in the fridge
- 300g of unsalted butter
- 30g of garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
9
For the walnut dressing, whisk all the ingredients until fully incorporated. Cover and place in the fridge
- 40g of walnut vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 75g of grapeseed oil
10
To make the fried capers, start by rinsing them under cold running water. Place the capers in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well. Heat the oil in small saucepan and fry the capers until crisp and starting to open. Spread on a tray lined with kitchen paper. (These should be prepared no more than 2 hours before serving)
- 250g of grapeseed oil
- 50g of salted capers
11
To finish the dish, melt the garlic butter in a pan, add the snails and reheat over low heat for 3 minutes. Season with salt and keep warm in the melted butter while you grill the sourdough
- salt
12
Preheat a grill to high. Spoon 25g of the French toast mixture onto each side of each slice of bread, leaving the crusts visible. Grill the bread on both sides until golden brown and crisp. Remove the toasts from under the grill and spread 5g of pistachio paste on each slice. Sprinkle with freshly chopped chives and top with the salt and vinegar pistachios
- 6g of chives, finely chopped
- 6 slices of white sourdough bread, sliced 1cm thick
- 30g of pistachio paste
13
Remove the snails from the butter and arrange 5 snails on each dressed slice, followed by 5 each of the quartered walnuts, pearl onions, and caper berries. Top with fried capers. Combine the shaved fennel with a dash of walnut dressing in small bowl and arrange on top. Garnish with micro chervil and season with freshly ground black pepper
- 8 caper berries, cut into quarters
- 8 pickled walnuts, cut into quarters
- 8 pickled pearl onions, cut into quarters
- freshly ground black pepper
- 125g of fennel, finely shaved
- micro chervil