Burgundy snail

Escargot de Bourgogne

What it is

The arrêté of 24 April 1979 forbids gathering Helix pomatia at any time below a shell diameter of 3 cm, and from 1 April to 30 June at any size at all — the wild French population had been collected almost to nothing. Nearly everything sold now comes from central and eastern Europe, and none of it is farmed: the species has never been bred at scale.

In the kitchen

Simmer them in court-bouillon for two to three hours before they ever meet butter — an hour leaves them rubbery and no quantity of garlic hides it. Fill the shell with butter first, then the snail, then more butter, so it never sits in a pocket of air.

Goes with

Garlic Parsley Butter Shallot Hazelnut White wine vinegar Chives

In season alongside

Hind Roe deer Fallow deer Young wild boar Grey partridge Salt marsh lamb

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