Snails in a White Butter Sauce with Herbs (Escargots aux fines herbes)

Name: Snails in a White Butter Sauce with Herbs (Escargots aux fines herbes)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: french
Ingredients: 36 drained snails cooked in court-bouillon (see recipe); 2 heads Boston lettuce; 6 tablespoons butter; 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots; 1/2 cup dry white wine; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste; 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried; 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives; 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried; 1/4 cup peeled, seeded, diced, well-drained tomato; 12 rectangles of toast

By Craig Claiborne and Pierre Franey

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 4(14)
Comments: Read comments

Featured in: Food; KEEPING PACE WITH SNAILS

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

36drained snails cooked in court-bouillon (see recipe)
2heads Boston lettuce
6tablespoons butter
¼cup finely chopped shallots
½cup dry white wine
2tablespoons white vinegar
½teaspoon anchovy paste
½teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or ¼ teaspoon dried
1tablespoon finely chopped chives
1tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
¼cup peeled, seeded, diced, well-drained tomato
12rectangles of toast

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Prepare the snails and set them aside.
Step 2
Remove the core from the lettuce. Wash the leaves well. Drain well. Stack the leaves and cut them into very thin shreds. There should be about eight cups loosely packed. Set aside.
Step 3
Heat two tablespoons of the butter in a skillet and add the lettuce. Cook, stirring, until wilted.
Step 4
Combine the shallots, wine and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to the boil. Cook over high heat until most of the liquid is evaporated.
Step 5
Cut the remaining four tablespoons of butter into cubes.
Step 6
Stir the shallots with a wire whisk and cook over low heat while adding the butter, two or three cubes at a time. Continue stirring vigorously until all the butter is added. Add the anchovy paste, tarragon, chives and basil.
Step 7
Heat the tomato about five seconds in a hot skillet, stirring. Add it to the butter sauce.
Step 8
Reheat the lettuce. Spoon an equal portion on top of each toast rectangle. Arrange three snails neatly on the lettuce. Spoon the sauce over each serving and serve.