Best Whelks With Escargot Butter Recipes

L'ESCARGOT BOURGUIGNON (SNAILS):

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Rinse and drain the snails and set aside.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl, except the dried parsley flakes, and mix well.
• Place the shells on oven proof snail serving plates that usually hold 6 shells per plate. Make sure that the shell openings are facing directly up.
• Place a small dab of butter mixture into each shell.
• Stuff a snail into each shell, slightly pushing it half way into the cavity of the shell.
• Place about 3/4 of a teaspoon of butter mixture on top of each snail.
• Sprinkle the top of each snail with the dried parsley flakes.
• Place the plates and snails into the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
• Remove from oven and serve hot with plenty of crusty French bread for sopping up the leftover sauce.

WHELKS WITH PARSLEY AND GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• In a running food processor, drop garlic through feed tube to mince. Place parsley in container of machine and pulse to mince. Add butter and seasonings, and process until well blended. No bits of butter should show. Set aside.
• Bring several quarts of water, heavily salted (like seawater), to a boil. Add whelks and boil 4 minutes. Drain.
• Place butter mixture in a metal bowl fitted into a small saucepan of simmering water, or in a double boiler. Whisk until mixture melts, then transfer to a serving dish or small individual bowls. Serve 2 to 3 whelks a person, with melted-butter mixture for dipping.

ESCARGOT, IN THE SHELL WITH HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Rinse the escargot under warm water, pat shells dry with a paper towel, then set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the butter, shallots, garlic, parsley, and lemon juice. Mix all ingredients well with a small spoon. Lightly season butter with salt and pepper, until desired taste is achieved.
• When butter is at desired flavor, begin to scoop a small amount of herb butter in each shell of escargot. If there is extra butter left over after each shell has been filled, go back and continue the process, adding extra butter, until all the butter has been used.
• Put the stuffed shells into the fridge and allow to sit for about 20 minutes, giving the butter enough time to solidify in shells. While the shells are in the fridge, set the oven to 350 degrees F.
• When the butter is solid in the shells, remove from fridge and transfer shells into an oven-safe pan. If possible, avoid placing shells on a sheet tray, as we want the snails to cook in the butter as much as possible. Cook snails for 15 minutes, max.
• Serve snails, in shells, on top of toasted pieces of baguette, or in a fresh tomato-based sauce.

WHELKS WITH ESCARGOT BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare the escargot butter first. In a food processor, combine the butter, garlic, parsley, bread crumbs, almond powder, pastis, salt, pepper, and Tabasco and process until creamy. Scoop into a bowl, cover, and store in the fridge.
• Soak the whelks in cold water to cover for 2 hours, changing the water 2 or 3 times.
• Drain the whelks. In a small stockpot, bring the water and salt to a boil over high heat. Add the whelks, lower the heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes. While the whelks are cooking, remove the escargot butter from the fridge to soften, and preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
• When the whelks are ready, drain and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse the shells. Using a fondue fork, remove the meats from the shells. Reserve the shells. Clean the meats by removing any muddy or sandy appendages, and then rinse the meats.
• Make 4 or 5 neat little slices, 1/4 inch (6 mm) deep across each meat, and carefully put the meats back into their shells. Dab a spackle of escargot butter on the opening of each whelk, effectively closing it shut. Place the whelks in a small gratin dish (from which you should eat them).
• Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, or until the butter is crackling and bubbling. Serve piping hot.