1626. BAKED SNAILS in GARLIC BUTTER served with a CRISPY BACON CITRUS BITTER LEAF SALAD

serves four


48 snails, drained, plus 48 snail shells
500 grams butter, softened
12 cloves garlic, finely chopped and crushed
8 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 shot Pastis
6 tablespoons breadcrumbs
1 pinch black pepper

For the salad:
1 packet rocket
1 bunch watercress, torn into sprigs
1 small radicchio, cut in half and finely sliced across
8 slices rindless streaky bacon
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 pinch black pepper
12 orange segments
12 grapefruit, segments
2 endive, belgian, leaves only

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the snails and simmer for about two minutes. Drain, refresh with cold water and drain again.

Place the butter, garlic, parsley, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, pastis, breadcrumbs, salt and freshly ground pepper and process until smooth.

Put a little of the garlic butter into each shell then add one snail per shell. Cover each snail with more garlic butter until the shells are full.

Place the snails in an ovenproof serving dish. (The holes must face up so the butter when it is cooked stays in the shell). Bake for around 8-10 minutes in the oven until the butter bubbles.

In the meantime, make the salad. Mix together the rocket, watercress and radicchio. Grill the bacon until crispy. Combine together the olive oil, lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground pepper, then mix through the leaves.

Place the Belgian endive on the outside of the plate in a star shape, put the dressed salad leaves in middle of the plate, scatter the orange and grapefruit segments around the leaves and place the crispy bacon on the top.

Take the snails out of the oven and serve immediately with the salad.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Michel Lemoine, Market Kitchen, Good Food Channel