Escargots à la Bourguignonne with Garlic-Parsley Butter

⏱ 45 min · Serves 4

The Burgundian classic done properly: plump snails tucked back into their shells under a generous cap of garlic, shallot and parsley butter, roasted until the butter bubbles and spits. Serve sizzling hot with a torn baguette to mop every last drop — nothing else required except a glass of chilled Aligoté.

Per serving: 565 kcal · 14.0g protein · 29.0g carbs · 44.0g fat

Ingredients

• 24 tinned Burgundy snails (about 2 x 125g drained weight), plus 24 clean snail shells
• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 6 fat garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed to a paste
• 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
• 30g flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Pernod or dry white wine (optional but excellent)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 tbsp dry white wine (for the snails)
• Coarse rock salt, to steady the shells (or use an escargot dish)
• 1 crusty baguette, to serve

Method

1. Drain and rinse the snails well, then pat dry. Toss them in a small bowl with 2 tbsp white wine and a grind of pepper and leave to sit while you make the butter.
2. Beat the softened butter with the garlic, shallot, parsley, Pernod, lemon juice, salt, plenty of black pepper and the nutmeg until completely smooth and pale green. Taste — it should be assertively garlicky and well seasoned.
3. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Spread a 1cm layer of rock salt over a baking tray (or set out escargot dishes) and nestle the shells in, openings facing up, so they sit level.
4. Spoon about 1/2 tsp of the butter into the bottom of each shell. Push in a snail, then seal the opening with a generous plug of the remaining butter, smoothing it flush with the rim.
5. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the butter is bubbling furiously and just beginning to colour at the edges. Don't let it split and go oily — pull them the moment they're loud and fragrant.
6. Serve immediately, still sizzling, with the baguette and a small fork or cocktail stick for winkling out the snails. Mop the shells with bread.