The escargot – or edible land snail – is one of the most famous ingredients in French cuisine. It’s also one of the most misunderstood. Even committed Francophiles can be wary of cooking and eating something they’re used to seeing as a common garden pest. And aren’t they a bit… slimy?
Far from it! Escargots are a wonderful ingredient: healthy, tasty and very versatile. Some people describe them as similar to clams, while others compare them to mushrooms, chicken or squid. With a lightly chewy texture and a subtle taste that pairs well with flavoursome sauces, they’re high in protein and low in fat.
If you’d like to try this French delicacy for yourself, you don’t have to leave your kitchen. Sabarot’s pre-cooked Burgundy escargots are great value and easy to prepare. Why not give them a try?
Seven generations of tradition
Sabarot is a real family business. Founded in 1819 in the Haute-Loire region by Jean-Pierre Sabarot, the company has evolved over seven generations to become a major producer of sustainable, high-quality natural products. In addition to the famous snails, their range includes dried fruits, seeds & pulses, mushrooms and grains, as well as oils and preserves.
Sabarot’s escargots are ideal, whether you’re trying snails for the first time or already love them so much that you always want to have them on hand. At BonneBouffe, you can buy two dozen, four dozen or ten dozen ready-to-eat Burgundy snails, all shelled, cleaned and canned with salt. All you have to do is rinse them in hot water and they’re ready to cook! If you’d like to serve them in the shell, we also offer two dozen ready-prepared snails together with their (clean) shells in an attractive transparent tube. This also makes a great gift for the French food lover in your life.
How to cook your snails
The classic way to eat Burgundy snails is Burgundy style, baked in their shells with parsley and a deliciously rich butter-garlic sauce. It’s easy, too! If your snails don’t have shells, don’t worry: you can also buy cleaned snail shells from our range, or even a special ovenproof snail dish. Make sure you have some fresh French bread to mop up all the sauce.
For a more modern take, why not try Sabarot’s own recipe for snail fingers? This intriguingly named snack is a baked pastry roll with fish mousseline, herbs, garlic and – yes, snails.
Escargots are a brilliant complement to other, stronger flavours, and they lend themselves very well to inventive cooking. Try James Martin’s recipe for steak with red wine and snail sauce, or Matt Tebbutt’s rabbit and chicken paella.
There’s a reason that snails are such a staple of French pantries – and Spanish and Sicilian ones, too! As your supplier of French food online, BonneBouffe has everything you need to enjoy great cooking at an affordable price without crossing the Channel. Our range is always expanding. To keep up to date with our latest offerings, just enter your email below to sign up for our newsletter.