Snails, Snails, Snails

Yes, that's right - snails. This is based on an article I read in the Metro and I have included for the interesting facts about snail farming as much as anything else. Here's the summary...

Apparently snail meat is quite fleshy - like squid or clams - and the earthy, buttery softness evokes memories of the gentle textures of sushi or lobster. The flavour reflects whatever the poor blighter has been fed on during the last week of it's life, in the case of Burgundy snails this is usually grape vine, but can just as easily be marjoram, parsley, rosemary or thyme.

A chap in Devon has a farm of around 35,000. He doesn't recommend collecting them from urban areas as they eat anything and may have been gorging on all types of toxins or garbage (which ends up at the end of their tails). However, if you catch them and feed them good stuff for a week or so they should be alright. Personally I'd say this means go and hunt them in the country.

One last warning - snails are difficult to wash. A Grandmother's tip is to wash them in salt and vinegar.

There are two preparations I am going to summarise. The first is the way to go if you want to pop them in a pie or a soup...

Snails For Soups and Pies

Clean the snails thoroughly

Simmer them in a rich bouillon stock or a quality chicken stock for about 45 minutes

Finish them in the pan in a rich Devon butter with garlic and fresh parsley

Eat then as is, or add them to soup, pie, stir fry or anything else you can think of.

Garlic Snails

Feed your snails rosemary and thyme for a few days (try not to name them!)

When ready wash them in salt and vinegar to get rid of the scum

Boil the buggers for 5 minutes

Pick them out of their shells

Remove their black tails (which is their intestine) and wash again.

Simmer to tenderise in white wine and herbs on a low heat for about 40 minutes

Make up a garlic and herb butter (do not melt - quickly fry the garlic first then add to butter & herb mix)

Add a splash of Pernod into the bottom of the shell, stick in a snail, season, seal with the butter mix and cook in an oven for 15 minutes at 180°C

Sounds like a lot of aggro just for the end result of a plate of frigging snails doesn't it? Still I reckon if you are looking for a talking point at a dinner party you can't go far wrong with this one!