Baby Snails in Two Textures: Aromatic Herbs and Elder Flower

By corlear

Ingredients

• For the cooked baby snails:
• 1.3 lb white baby snails
• 11/4 cup water
• salt
• For the baby snail gelatin:
• 11/4 cup water used to cook the snails (see previous step)
• pinch powdered agar-agar
• 1 1/2 sheets gelatin (previously rehydrated in cold water)
• salt
• For the aromatic oil:
• 1/3 cup sunflower oil
• 2/3 oz dry bay leaf
• 2/3 oz dry thyme
• 2/3 oz dry rosemary
• For the elder flower berries:
• 2 oz elder flower berries
• For the crispy snails:
• 21/4 oz clean snails (see previous step)
• 11/2 cup 0.4º olive oil
• For the herb salad:
• 2 strips of scallion, sliced
• 4 small fresh tarragon leaves
• 4 small fresh mint leaves
• 4 small fresh basil leaves
• 4 small fresh chervil leaves
• 4 small fresh fennel leaves
• 4 small fresh lemon verbena leaves
• 4 fresh fennel flowers
• 4 fresh elder flowers
• 4 fresh heather flowers
• 4 fresh rosemary flowers
• 4 fresh lavender flowers
• 4 fresh lavender flowers
• To finish:
• Maldon salt

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

For the cooked baby snails:
1. Wash the baby snails in water and drain.
2. Cover the snails with salt so that they release the slime and rinse thoroughly in water for 3 times.
3. Place the snails in a pan. Cover with cold water and add a little salt.
4. Heat the water gradually over a low heat and for the snail to come out of the shell.
5. When the snails are out of their shells, turn up the heat.
6. Bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in their juices.
7. Clean the snails and divide them into two groups (with 2 oz in each group).
8. Reduce the juices to 1¼ cup.

For the baby snail gelatin:
1. Mix the seasoned snail water and the agar-agar together.
2. Stirring continuously, bring to the boil over a medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk.
3. Add the gelatin and dissolve it in the liquid.
4. Pour a 1/10" thick layer into a 5½ x 3½" dish.
5. Leave to set in the fridge and then cut into 2¾ x 2/3" gelatin rectangles.

For the aromatic oil:
1. Heat the oil to 160ºF. Remove from the heat. Add the herbs and leave to infuse.
2. Leave to cool in the oil and keep the herbs in the oil on one side.

For the elder flower berries:
1. Remove the elder flower berries from the stalk and keep on one side.

For the crispy snails:
1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the snails and fry until they are crispy, making sure they do not burn.
3. Sieve, drain and season the snails with salt.




Final Steps & Preparation:
1. Put a rectangle of snail water gelatin in a small round dish.
2. Heat in the salamandra for 7 or 8 seconds.
3. Sauté 2¼ oz of clean and seasoned baby snails in a little 0.4º olive oil in a frying pan. Scatter over the gelatin, trying to cover it as far as possible.
4. Place the crispy baby snails on the sautéed baby snails.
5. Place the herb salad on the baby snails and dress with the herb oil and a little Maldon salt.
6. Put a dessert spoonful of elder flower berries (approx. ½ oz) parallel to the baby snail terrine.