International dishesGrilled DishesFrance12 to 15 minutes baking
French baked snails in garlic butter come out of the oven with each shell bubbling gold and smelling of garlic and parsley. The butter that pools in the bottom of the shell is the part worth mopping up with bread. Watching the oven is the difficulty, since a few extra minutes burn the butter and turn the snails rubbery.
Twelve to 15 minutes at 180 degrees C is enough, with the butter just bubbling and the snails only lightly browned. The butter has to be beaten soft and smooth before the seasoning goes in, because cold hard butter will not coat the snails evenly.
This batch weighs about 327g, at roughly 289 calories per 100g.
Method
If the snails are fresh, clean them thoroughly, pull the meat from the shells and blanch it in boiling water for a few minutes. Ready cleaned snails only need rinsing, draining and a quick blanch.
Put 100g unsalted butter in a large bowl and beat it with a mixer or a spoon until soft and smooth.
Add 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1 tablespoon white rice wine to the butter and mix through.
Set each of the 12 snails into its own shell, or into a small baking dish if there are no shells.
Spoon the garlic butter into each shell, covering the snail with a good layer, and scatter over a little grated parmesan if you like.
Heat the oven to 180 degrees C and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the butter bubbles and the snails turn light golden brown.
Serve immediately while hot, with baguette for the butter.
Tips
Bourgogne snails are almost impossible to buy in Vietnam, and sea snails, apple snails or razor clams take their place with the same garlic butter.
A splash of white wine in the garlic butter deepens the aroma.
Let the butter soften at room temperature before beating, as cold butter will not take the garlic evenly.
Set the shells in a tray on a bed of coarse salt so they stand upright and the butter stays in.
Stick to 12 to 15 minutes, because longer burns the butter and toughens the meat.
Serve straight from the oven, since the dish loses its appeal once the butter sets.
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