Name: Escargots Languedocienne (Snails with Anchovy and Walnut Sauce)
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 10 anchovy fillets, soaked in milk for a few minutes; ½ cup/60 g chopped walnuts or almonds; 1 cup/250 ml. veal or beef broth; 2 tablespoons cognac; 1 thick slice cooked ham (about 2 ounces/60 g), chopped; 2 thick slices lean bacon (about 2 ounces/60 g total), chopped; 3 tablespoons/45 ml. olive oil; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 1 garlic clove, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley; 2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs; salt and pepper; leaves from 3 sprigs fresh basil, shredded; one 14-ounce/390-g can medium or large snails

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Country Cooking of France

By Anne Willan

Published 2007

About

Crunchy with walnuts and tingling with anchovy—that is how snails gathered in the garrigues, the herb-covered hillsides of Languedoc, are served. Traditionally, they come as a first course in little bowls or ramekins, no shells needed! In more modern style, try snails cooked this way as an unusual topping for pasta.

Ingredients

Anchovy and Walnut Sauce

10 anchovy fillets, soaked in milk for a few minutes
½ cup/60 g chopped

Method

For the sauce, drain off the milk from the anchovies and chop finely on a cutting board. Add the walnuts, garlic, and parsley to the anchovies and briefly chop all the ingredients together. Put the mixture into a bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and ham and brown well, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the