• 1.2 kg (2 lb 12 oz) dried garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• pinch of saffron threads
• 130 g (4½ oz) garlic, crushed
• 20 g (¾ oz) aniseed, toasted
• 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) snails
• 15 g (½ oz) butter
• black garlic purée
• basil leaves, coarsely torn, to serve

Bouquet Garni

• 2 rosemary stalks
• 3 thyme stalks
• 1 bay leaf

Crisp Garbanzo

• 100 g (3½ oz) garbanzo beans (chickpeas), soaked overnight
• grapeseed oil, for frying
• sea salt
• Aleppo pepper

Put the garbanzo beans, saffron, garlic and aniseed in a large saucepan. Cover generously with about 2.5 litres (87 fl oz/10 cups) water, place over medium heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until the garbanzo beans are tender.

Make the bouquet garni by enclosing the herbs in a piece of muslin (cheesecloth) and knotting it at the top. Remove the garbanzo bean mixture from the heat, add the bouquet garni and allow to steep for 6 minutes before removing. Season generously with salt, return to the heat and add the snails. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

For the crisp garbanzo, put the soaked garbanzo beans in a medium saucepan of simmering water and cook for 30–40 minutes until tender. Drain and spread out in a single layer to cool. Heat grapeseed oil in a frying pan over high heat until shimmering, add the garbanzo beans and shallow-fry for 5–10 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove the garbanzo beans with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Toss with sea salt and Aleppo pepper to taste and set aside.