Escargot Bourguignon Recipe

Rinse and poach

Drain the snails in a colander and rinse briefly under cool running water. Place them in a small saucepan with 120 ml white wine and 60 ml stock. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and poach for 2–3 minutes to warm through and remove any jar flavor. Remove snails with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain. Reserve poaching liquid.

If using empty shells, warm them briefly in hot water to remove dust, then dry. If using escargot dishes, ensure they are clean and dry.

Soften the 180 g butter at room temperature until easily spreadable (about 30–45 minutes if refrigerated).

In a bowl, combine the softened butter with 40 g finely chopped parsley, 12 g minced garlic, 20 g very finely minced shallot, 30 ml white wine, 10 ml lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

If the mixture seems too stiff to pipe or spoon, add 1 tsp neutral oil or a little of the reserved poaching liquid (a teaspoon at a time) to loosen the butter to a soft, spreadable consistency. Transfer the butter to a piping bag or a small bowl for easier filling.

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and arrange a heavy baking sheet or escargot plate. If using empty shells, nest them in a bed of coarse sea salt on the baking sheet so they remain upright.

Place one snail into each shell or into each well of an escargot dish. Spoon or pipe about 1 teaspoon (roughly 7–8 g) of parsley-garlic butter over each snail, ensuring the butter fills the shell/well and covers the snail. If you like a little extra aromatic punch, add a tiny extra sprinkle of minced parsley on top.

For a brighter finish, optionally add a small dot (about 1 g) of softened unsalted butter on top of each filled shell.

Place the baking sheet or escargot dish in the preheated oven and bake for 8–10 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and fragrant and the edges are just beginning to brown. Keep an eye so the garlic does not burn.

Remove from the oven and let rest 1–2 minutes. Spoon any buttery juices from the baking sheet back into the shells if desired. Serve immediately set into the bed of coarse salt or on warmed escargot plates with slices of baguette to mop up the garlic butter.

Optional: Deglaze the poaching pan with the reserved poaching liquid and 30 ml white wine, reduce briefly and spoon a teaspoon over each portion for extra flavor before serving.