Escargots de Bourgogne (IPA: [ɛskaʁɡo]) (French for ‘Burgundy snails’), also called escargots à la bourguignonne (‘Burgundy snails’) are a traditional dish of French gastronomy. It consists of snails of the Helix pomatia species (commonly called Burgundy snails) cooked and served in their shells stuffed with garlic butter and parsley. It is served as a starter in France and French restaurants.
The consumption of Burgundy snails spread and became fashionable throughout France in the second half of the 19th century. The largest collection centers were Burgundy and Franche-Comté. But the progressive disappearance of its natural habitat and the widespread use of pesticides reduced the population to such an extent that it became increasingly difficult to supply the entire country, and imports had to be resorted to, initially from Germany and Central Europe. Since 1979, edible French snail species have been partially legally protected, particularly the helix pomatia, whose survival is threatened.
Not all species of snails are edible. Even among edible species, the flavor of the meat varies from species to species. In France, Helix pomatia, known as escargot de Bourgogne (Burgundy snail), is the most often eaten and appreciated. It is a wild species collected from the wild and cannot be raised on farms. It comes mainly from central European countries with extensive natural landscapes: Hungary, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Helix lucorum is also eaten, but French law, very strict regarding snails, does not allow it to be called a Burgundy snail (although outside of France, it is sometimes mistakenly sold as such). Prepared according to the traditional recipe, it is called ‘burgundy-style snails’. Like the Helix pomatia, it is a wild animal that cannot be raised on farms. It is mainly imported from Turkey, Greece, and Macedonia.
Helix aspersa is also used in its variants Aspersa Müller (Petit Gris) or Aspersa Maxima (Gros Gris). Unlike the previous ones, it can be wild or raised on farms. It is also not allowed to be called a Burgundy snail. In its wild variety, it comes mainly from Turkey and the Maghreb. In France, the production in intensive farms is mostly autochthonous, although Helix aspersa heliciculture extends worldwide.
The preparation of Bourgogne escargots for consumption is very long. First, the snails are cleaned to release the slime and excrement, subjecting them to a fast of several days to 2 weeks before placing them in salt or vinegar. After washing and brushing them in salty or vinegary water, they are scalded in boiling water. They are then removed from their shells, eviscerated, and cooked again with great care as well as the shells. They are finally cooked in a short or chicken broth before being placed back in the shells.
The traditional way of serving Bourgogne escargots is to fill the shell hole with an ointment made with garlic butter and chopped parsley and bake them for a couple of minutes, just long enough for the butter to melt. You can add additional ingredients in other recipes, such as thyme and pine nuts. To heat and eat them, they are placed face up in metal or earthenware dishes suitable for oven and provided with holes so that they do not tip over; Special tweezers are used to hold the shell, and very fine two-pronged forks are used to extract the meat.
It is a gastronomic and festive dish. They are almost no longer prepared at home: the frozen or dehydrated filling and the shells are sold separately in stores and can be found canned. Like most shellfish, snails are high in protein and low in fat (if cooked without butter). The snail is estimated to have 15% protein, 2.4% fat, and approximately 80% water.
Ingredients:
1 can of escargots (y200 gr)
10 grams of garlic
5 gr of shallot
15 gr of parsley
20 ml of white wine
200 grams of butter
Salt & pepper
Method:
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Melt the butter over low heat. Add the white wine.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and add the parsley.
Finely chop the garlic, ciseler the shallot or finely chop. Add garlic and shallots to the butter.
Fill the shells with the snails and top with the previously prepared butter.
Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!
