Last week we studied Burgundy in school and I had no idea what to expect. I have never been to France and the little experience i had with french food was a simple dinner at a local restaurant.
Burgundy for me was synonymous with amazing wine, but little did i know that my little tiny friends are a specialty from here!!! Snails!
My great friend asked me: "how does a young woman from the Dominican Republic learn to love Escargots so much???" I didn't have to think about my answer (and i usually over think everything) its all so simple:
---->BUTTER! Green-Yummy-Salty ---> Butter!!!
I learned how to make them (I had to beg to get assigned to this project and it was worth every second of it)
ITS VERY EASY! I have a recipe that i would love to share.
Escargots De Bourgogne
2 dozen snails (buy the canned ones, its a lot easier)
1 cup white wine
4 garlic cloves, bruised
8 garlic cloves, chopped finely
2 shallots, chopped fine as well
3/4 to 1 C of butter (the more butter the better :) ), separate two tablespoons
1/3 C parsley, chopped as fine as you can but don't worry about it to much
Salt and Pepper to your liking
*First Step - Preheat the oven to 350F
*Second Step - Drain the Snails from the canned liquid and rinse well. Soak them in the white wine and the bruised garlic cloves ( you can forget about them until later )
*Third Step - Sauté (in the 2 Tbs of butter) the rest of the garlic (chopped finely) and the shallots until translucent and soft. Set aside and let it cool.
*Fourth Step - MY FAVORITE PART... if you own an electric mixer -> cream the rest of the butter. When soft, add the parsley and the previously cooled garlic-shallot mixture and incorporate well. Season with salt and pepper (make sure you TASTE it). If you don't own an electric mixer then allow the butter to sit at room temperature until a bit soft, then it will be easier to incorporate the other ingredients.
*Last Step - Drain the snails from the wine.
To Assemble:
-If you have the snail shells:
Add 1/2 a Tbs of the butter mixture on each empty shell. Put one snail all the way inside the shell (squish it in, don't be afraid) and cover with more of the butter mixture.
Cook the snails in the preheated oven just until the butter melts and gets bubbly (Only a few minutes) :)
-If you don't have shells:
Put the escargots in an oven proof dish and cover them with the butter. Cook it in the oven until the butter melts and gets bubbly. This will take only a few minutes.
EAT AWAY!!!!!!!!
