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Escargot à la Bourguignonne

17/11/2023

Escargot à la Bourguignonne are a classic dish of French cuisine, but there will be no problem in adding a small Italian touch to pay tribute to our culinary traditions as well. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 24 snails (already cleaned and prepared for cooking)
  • 100 g of soft butter
  • 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  • 1 small shallot (finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons of dry white wine (an Italian touch could be a nice Pinot Grigio)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon of brandy (optional, but in an Italian version you could use grappa)
  • Breadcrumbs (for a crispy Italian-style crust)

Preparation

  1. Prepare the garlic butter by mixing the soft butter with the chopped garlic, parsley, shallot, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. If you decide to include brandy or grappa, add it to the aromatic butter and mix well to obtain a homogeneous cream.

  2. Pre-heat the oven to 200 °C (392 °F).

  3. Take an escargot baking dish and fill each hollow with a snail. If you do not have a special dish, you can arrange them in individual small cocottes.

  4. Top each snail with a generous spoonful of the previously prepared garlic butter, making sure it is well covered.

  5. Sprinkle the surface with a bit of breadcrumbs to add crunchiness.

  6. Pour the white wine into the pan, around the snails, to create a humid environment that will help with the cooking.

  7. Bake the snails for about 10-12 minutes, or until the butter starts to sizzle and turns slightly golden.

  8. Serve the escargot immediately, accompanied by slices of toasted baguette or Italian loaf to fully enjoy the melting garlic butter.

Did you know?

Did you know that in Italy there is a long tradition of harvesting and preparing snails in the kitchen? Although they are not as common as in France, you will find various Italian regional recipes featuring them as the main ingredient, especially in Northern Italy. The Bourguignonne preparation is just one of the many possible variations that can be explored!

Escargot à la Bourguignonne