Snails with garlic butter and Gorgonzola
- Starter
- Medium
- 4
- 2 hours
PT2H
Dominic Chapman's classic snails with garlic butter recipe features a heady garlic butter which the snails are cooked in before serving. Topped with crispy garlic breadcrumbs and Gorgonzola cheese, this makes a rich starter and is a great way to try eating snails. You will need 4 snail dishes, cast iron dishes with holes for the snails to sit in, to serve this recipe.
Ingredients
Snails
- 24 snails
- 100g of pancetta , chopped
- 350g of carrots , chopped
- 100g of shallots , chopped
- 100g of onion , chopped
- 50g of garlic , chopped
- 10g of thyme
- 50ml of sherry vinegar
- 200ml of white wine
- 2l chicken stock
- 300g of unsalted butter
- 50ml of vegetable oil
Garlic butter
- 250g of unsalted butter , softened
- 100g of garlic , finely chopped
- 40g of parsley , finely chopped
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Garlic breadcrumbs
- 1/2 loaf of white bread, crusts removed and sliced
- 125g of butter
- 1/2 head of garlic , finely chopped
To serve
- 200g of Gorgonzola
- 1 bunch of chives , chopped
- sourdough bread, toasted
Equipment
- Food processor
- Snail dish (4)
Method
1
Begin by preparing the stock for the snails. Add the butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and place over a medium heat. Allow the butter to melt and brown for a few minutes
- 300g of unsalted butter
- 50ml of vegetable oil
2
Add the pancetta to the pan and cook until golden brown all over, then stir in the carrots, shallots, onions and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are evenly caramelised
4
Allow the liquor to reduce down for a few minutes to create a glaze, then return the snails, pancetta and vegetables to the pan from the colander
5
Pour over the stock to cover the snails and bring the mixture up to the boil. Skim the surface to remove any impurities, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 1½ hours, or until the snails are tender
- 2l chicken stock
6
Meanwhile, make the garlic butter. Mix together the butter, garlic and parsley in a bowl until evenly combined. Season to taste and store in the fridge until needed
- 250g of unsalted butter , softened
- 100g of garlic , finely chopped
- 40g of parsley , finely chopped
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
7
For the garlic breadcrumbs, place the bread in a food processor and blend to create even crumbs
- 1/2 loaf of white bread, crusts removed and sliced
8
Melt the butter in a large pan, then add the breadcrumbs and garlic. Fry for a few minutes, moving the crumbs around in the butter until golden and crisp
- 125g of butter
- 1/2 head of garlic , finely chopped
9
Line a tray with kitchen paper and place a sieve over the top. Tip the golden crumbs into a sieve, allowing any excess oil to drain away. Allow to cool and reserve until serving
10
Remove the cooked snails from the stock and allow to cool, discarding the remaining stock
11
When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 5
12
Fill the cavities of 4 snail dishes with the garlic butter and push a snail into each. Chop the Gorgonzola into small chunks and place a piece on top of each snail. Place in the oven for 5 minutes, or until hot and bubbling
13
Remove from the oven and scatter other the garlic breadcrumbs and chopped chives. Serve immediately with slices of toasted sourdough on the side
- 1 bunch of chives , chopped
- sourdough bread, toasted
Discover more:
Go to Comments
Snails with garlic butter and Gorgonzola
