Escargot in puff pastry
When we first moved, discovering new restaurants was a treat. A local fine dining restaurant nearby served this dish, which was delightful and rather intriguing. Recreating this in my home kitchen, I thought to call it a snuff puff; it sounded rather snobbish, much like the restaurant! It doesn't. It has a rather opposite connotation.
This rather elegant dish is now reserved for a sit-down, special occasion and is always much loved. It is rather filling, and I suggest a fresh salad and a light main to serve with this. A glass of crisp white wine pairs rather well. Bon appétit!
Serves 8
2 oz| 57g salted butter
2 shallots, very finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
8 oz| 227 g escargots
8 oz ] 227 g chicken stock
8 oz | 227 g cream
4 tbsp dark rum
Salt to taste
A pinch of sugar
2 crushed allspice berries
2 crushed juniper berries
8 + 4 oz | 227+113 g cream cheese
2 tbsp of fresh tarragon and parsley, finely chopped
Pre-bake the vol-au-vents for 17 minutes until fully risen but still pale. Remove the top and set aside.
In a pan, melt the butter and sauté the shallots until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and the escargot. Cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the fire and keep aside.
In another pan prepare the sauce. Heat the chicken stock, cream, sugar, and spice berries. Bring this to a boil, lower the heat, and allow it to cook for 30 minutes. Halfway through, add the rum. Cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in the fresh herbs. Divide it into two pans.
In the first pan of sauce, add the escargot. stir and taste for salt.
In pan number two, add 4 oz of cream cheese to thicken the sauce before plating. Taste for salt.
To serve
Spoon a tablespoon of cream cheese, and top this with the escargot sauce. Reheat for 7 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven, then place each on a prepared platter spread with the heavier cheese sauce. Serve immediately.
Tips
Salt is an important element. The stock, the cheese, and the escargots may have pre-added saltiness. It is therefore advisable to taste both sauces at the very end before seasoning them with salt.
Shallots are small onions and would be equivalent to 2 tbsp of very finely, chopped onions.
Choose a cream cheese with a rich flavor, such as Bel Paese.
Madeira, marsala, sherry, and white port are alternatives to rum.
Preparing the three components, vol au vents, and the set of two sauces ahead of time works well. Bring them to room temperature before proceeding.
My published cookbooks are available for sale through myself via email, in independent book stores across the world and on Amazon India.
The Route to Parsi Cooking: From Pars to India and Beyond is an award winning book. It has been self published in June 2024. Email at theroutetoparsicooking@gmail.com
The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders is a 3 award winning book. It has been self published in July 2019 and will be going into its second print in 2022.
The Vegetarian Parsi, inspired by tradition is an award winning cookbook. It was published by Spenta Multimedia India and is available on Amazon India and through email order at thevegetarianparsi@gmail.com.
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine was published in 2016 by Austin Macauley and continues to be available through amazon book depot book depository and from the publishers.
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