Tuesday, February 14, 2012

ABC Wednesday
 February 15th, 2012

...and the letter this week is the Electable E


Goodness only knows we have enough news about U.S. Elections these days, but I'm not going to write about that today.

Today I'm going to tell you about Escargot, a favourite of our younger daughter.

Escargot is a dish of cooked land snails, usually served as an appetizer.  You have to be a little fussy about which land snails you choose to eat.  All species are equally edible, but many are too small to make it worthwhile to prepare and cook them.  Well, probably you aren't going to go out and gather your own snails, and will rely on the expensive can that is often on the top shelf of the canned fish section in the grocery store.

Or displayed on a table in more expensive and exclusive stores featuring fancy cuisine.

People have been eating snails for eons, - they have been found in archaeological excavations and in less primitive times the Romans, in particular, considered escargot to be an elite food, as noted in the writings of Pliny.  This information courtesy of Wikipedia.


You will be glad to hear that Wikipedia also tells me that the snails are purged of the questionable contents of their digestive system, killed, removed from their shells and cooked.  I will tell you about the cooking, but I thought you would be interested in the purging.  It is generally accomplished by a combination of fasting, or simply feeding them on a wholesome replacement, such as ground cereal.

If Escargot appeals to you here is a way of preparing them......

Preheat the oven to 450F.  Smush together some softened butter, - about 1/2 a cup, a smidgin of salt, some minced parsley and a clove of Garlic.

Stuff an escargot (which you are going to retrieve from that expensive can you bought) in a shell, (which can also be fairly expensive if you go to a fancy culinary equipment store to buy as many as you need).

Smother the escargot with garlic butter and splash a little liquor over the shells (whatever you find in the liquor cabinet, within reason, of course).  Put it in the oven for six or seven minutes.  The garlic butter melts and mixes with the liquor.  It is perfect for dipping with some lovely french bread.


Some escargot, a little wine, - perfect for Valentine's Day.

For more interpretations of the letter E visit here, at Mrs. Nesbitt's ABC Wednesday.


16 comments:

EG CameraGirl said...

My husband would LOVE the escargot! Me? Not so much. :)

Reader Wil said...

This is a real delicasy.I once ate them in a restaurant and loved it!
Excellent choice for E.!
Wil, ABC Wednesday Team.

photowannabe said...

Have to say they aren't my favorite thing to eat but with lots of garlic and a nice wine they are a nice meal.

Rinkly Rimes said...

They look tempting but I'll look but not eat.An interesting article.

Roger Owen Green said...

They are having elections in the US? Missed that. ;-)
Never had escargot!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Carver said...

That sounds like a delicious escargot dish. Carver ABC Wednesday Team

Jane and Chris said...

Before we were vegan my hubby ate escargot...I could barely watch!
Jane x

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

WHile not an escargot fan, I loved the post and was thrilled it did not deal with elections. I agree there is just TOO much news on that end, and way too depressing!

Gigi Ann said...

I never had them, but talked to a man who raised them to sell to restaurants.

I would be willing to try them. With all the butter and liquor on them sounds like my kind of food. ; ))

Thanks for your visit today.

VioletSky said...

I can't say they sound delectable to me, but I know my turtle loves the ones I collect for him from the garden!

The Poet said...

Hello.
I'm afraid you can keep your escargot...can't think of them as anything else but slimy snails! Yuk!
Interesting post.
Thanks for sharing.

Endless Love And Devotion

Leslie: said...

I know escargots are a delicacy, but the one and only time I had them I just couldn't rid my mind of seeing them swarming around my garden.

Leslie
abcw team

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

We ate them once when on a cruise. I liked them (we are adventurous eaters, when somebody else cooks!).
I sort of think that almost anything would be delicious with lots of garlic and white wine (in the dish and as you're cooking and eating ;>)

Kay L. Davies said...

When I was young and domesticated, I had to have the reusable snail shells, and the holders, and the dishes, and would make the garlic butter, etc., but I don't even like the idea of escargots any more. I don't know what happened to all my snail shells and escargot dishes.
Excellent choice for E day, however, Hildred.
K

Chubskulit Rose said...

Not fond of shells or other related type of food.

Rose, ABC Wednesday Team
Extra

The Stonehedge Farm said...

Have not had them in years. I do remember them being very good.. we had made them with lots of butter an garlic. Yum.