Escargot Recipe

Rinse and warm snails

If using canned/jarred escargot, drain them in a colander and briefly rinse under cold water to remove packing liquid. Pat dry with paper towels. Place the snails in a small bowl and drizzle with 60 ml dry white wine; let sit 5 minutes to warm and deglaze any remaining flavor from the snails.

Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). If you have escargot plates, set them out on a baking tray; if not, use an oven-safe shallow baking dish or individual ramekins.

Make the garlic-parsley base

In a small skillet over low heat, melt 20 g of the unsalted butter. Add the finely minced shallot and cook gently 2–3 minutes until soft but not colored. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Combine herbs and liquids

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped parsley, lemon zest, sea salt, black pepper, the 30 ml white wine, and the shallot-garlic mixture. Stir to combine.

Incorporate cold butter

Using a fork or spatula, gradually cut the 90 g cold butter pieces into the herb mixture until it forms a smooth, emulsion-like compound butter. Alternatively, pulse briefly in a food processor for a smoother texture, taking care not to over-warm the butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Fold in the remaining 110 g unsalted butter (softened) if you prefer a larger amount of butter to fill shells; otherwise use the prepared compound butter as-is.

Fill shells or dishes

If you have snail shells: place a small spoonful of garlic-parsley butter into each shell, push one snail in, then top with another small spoonful so the butter fills and surrounds the snail. If using escargot plates or ramekins: place one snail in each well, top generously with the garlic-parsley butter so each snail is covered. For a baking dish, arrange snails in a single layer and spoon butter evenly over each.

Optional flambé

If you want to flambé: warm the optional 15 ml Pernod briefly (do not boil), pour over the assembled snails in the oven-safe dish, and ignite carefully with a long match or lighter — stand back and let flame subside before proceeding. This step is optional and should be done with caution.

Bake

Place the tray or dish in the preheated oven and bake 8–10 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and the tops are lightly golden. If you like a broiled finish, switch oven to broil and place under the broiler 30–60 seconds to brown the butter — watch closely to avoid burning.

Remove from oven and let rest 1–2 minutes. The snails should be hot and the butter fragrant.

Serve immediately in the escargot plates or transfer ramekins to a serving platter. Provide lemon wedges and toasted baguette or crostini to soak up the garlic-parsley butter. Each serving (4 people) receives 6 snails.

Leftover butter can be scraped and used to toss with pasta, steamed vegetables, or spread on bread.