Escargot Recipe

Rinse and marinate escargot

Place the drained escargot in a bowl. Add 120 ml dry white wine, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes while you prepare the sauce and mushrooms. This removes any jar flavor and infuses the escargot.

Sauté aromatics

In a medium skillet or saucepan, heat 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add the finely diced 1/2 onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to brown.

Build the sauce

Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add 400 g crushed tomatoes, 60 ml water, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Finish sauce

Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the chiffonade of 6 fresh basil leaves and remove from heat. Keep the sauce warm; it should be saucy enough to coat the escargot.

Sauté mushrooms

While the sauce simmers, heat 1 tbsp butter in a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 200 g sliced mushrooms in a single layer (do in two batches if they crowd the pan). Let them brown undisturbed 2–3 minutes, then stir and cook another 2–3 minutes until golden. Add 1 clove minced garlic, cook 30–45 seconds, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Combine escargot, mushrooms and sauce

Drain escargot from the marinade, reserving a tablespoon of the marinade liquid. Add the escargot to the warm marinara sauce and gently simmer together 3–4 minutes to heat escargot through and marry flavors. Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and 1–2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. If sauce seems tight, add the reserved tablespoon of marinade or an extra splash of water (up to 2 tbsp) to loosen.

Optional finish

Stir in 2 tbsp grated Parmesan if using and drizzle 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil over the top for gloss.

Spoon the escargot and marinara with mushrooms into a shallow serving bowl or individual ramekins. Garnish with remaining 1 tbsp chopped parsley and lemon wedges on the side. Serve immediately with slices of crusty baguette or toasted crostini for dipping.