Burgundy Escargot Recipe

Clean and mince ramps

Trim roots and remove any tough outer leaves from ramps. Rinse well and pat dry. Finely mince both the white bulbs and the green tops until you have about 1 cup loosely packed.

Soften butter

Bring 1 cup unsalted butter to room temperature until soft but still workable (about 30 minutes at room temp) or gently soften in a bowl over barely warm water for a few minutes.

Combine ramp butter

In a mixing bowl, add softened butter, 1/2 cup packed chopped parsley, the minced ramps, 2 tablespoons dry white wine, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Using a fork, mash and mix until fully combined and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The butter should be bright green and aromatic.

Portion butter

Spoon the ramp butter into a small piping bag or wrap in plastic and form a log. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up the butter so it will portion well into escargot shells or a baking dish.

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). If using individual escargot shells or an escargot plate, place them on a baking sheet.

If escargot were packed in a liquid, drain and pat them dry with paper towels. Divide the escargot into 24 portions (one per shell or one per cavity in an escargot plate).

Place one escargot into each shell or cavity. If you are using a small oven-safe ramekin or shallow baking dish instead, arrange escargot evenly so each bite will be topped with butter.

Cut chilled ramp butter into 24 small pieces (about 1 teaspoon each) or pipe equal amounts so each escargot is crowned with a mound of ramp butter. If you are using shells and have extra butter, reserve for bread.

Place the prepared shells (or dish) on the baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and fragrant and the escargot are heated through. For a lightly browned top, switch to broil for 1 minute—watch closely to avoid burning.

While the escargot bake, slice the baguette on the diagonal into 12–16 slices about 1/2" thick.

Brush both sides of baguette slices lightly with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt.

Toast the slices in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 6–8 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Alternatively, grill or pan-toast over medium heat until edges are crisp.

If desired, rub the warm toasted bread with a cut lemon wedge for an extra bright note.

Remove escargot from the oven. Let cool for 1–2 minutes so the butter settles but is still sizzling.

If using shells, serve the escargot in their shells or remove each piece and spoon some ramp butter over toasted baguette slices. If using an escargot dish, use a fork to place each escargot on a piece of toast and spoon melted ramp butter from the cavity over the escargot.

Garnish with a light sprinkle of chopped chives and an extra grind of black pepper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.