Escargots Baked in Oyster Shells
(from A Taste of Elegance), Rudi Sodamin
Yield: 4 ServingsHolland America Line’s Culinary Arts Center program, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, is a groundbreaking program that integrates guests’ love for fine food and wine with a unique and entertaining experience. Immerse yourself in the unique traditions and tastes of the ports of call you will visit. Sample fine wines from around the world or learn to make a new gourmet dish in a hands-on cooking class taught by our own Master Chefs or Culinary Guests.Next time you fry oysters or make an oyster stuffing, save the shells, run them through a hot dishwasher, and then bake them on a rack in the oven to sterilize them. They’ll make a gorgeous and surprising presentation for escargots. Alternatively, serve the escargots in large fresh mushroom caps (prebake the caps in muffin tins for five minutes before filling). Whichever way you choose, don’t forget to serve champagne!
|
Ingredients
|
- 1 (7- to 8-ounce) can escargots (about 16 to 24), drained and rinsed (you can find at specialty food markets or online)
- 2 tablespoons dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, or Pinot Blanc
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
|
- 1 teaspoon Pernod or brandy (optional)
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt or artisan sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups kosher salt (for stabilizing the oyster shells)
- 12 oyster shells, sterilized
- ¼ cup wakame seaweed, cut into very thin strips with kitchen shears and soaked in water for 30 minutes (optional)
- 1 crusty baguette, sliced (for dipping)
|
|
Heat the oven to 400°F. Combine the escargots and wine in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the escargots have absorbed all the wine, remove from the heat and let cool. Reserve.In a food processor, purée the butter, garlic, parsley, shallot, and Pernod, if using. Season with some of the sea salt (more will be sprinkled on after baking) and pepper.Pour the kosher salt into a large shallow baking pan and nestle the oyster shells in the salt. Divide half the flavored butter among the shells. Divide the reserved escargots among the shells and top with the seaweed, if using, and the remaining flavored butter.Bake the escargots for 10 minutes, or until bubbling. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with more sea salt. Transfer the shells to serving plates, nestling them in more salt if you wish, and serve immediately with baguette slices.
Handcrafted Salt
If you like to use salt, now is the time to try handcrafted varieties. Interest in salt has soared and salts from around the world are more readily available. Salts that are harvested and processed by hand bear distinctive nuances of flavor that add intrigue to simple fish or meat dishes. Whether pink, red, black, gray, or white (or even smoked or vanilla flavored!), most handcrafted salts bring out the best in food when sprinkled on after cooking.
Browse more cruise line recipes.
|
