Let’s be perfectly honest with one another, Citizens: anybody who enjoys eating snails prepared in the classic French fashion really loves the herbed garlic butter they’re swimming in. Equally true – not many people like snails and these poor souls are sadly missing out on that delicious butter.
So – I give you my version of this garlic-laden herbaceous condiment sans (without) the snails for your tasteful enjoyment. If you like snails, by all means use this beurre escargot (snail butter) to make the classic French recipe of escargots à la bourguignonne.
For those Citizens not of the snail-eating variety, please do try this amazing condiment over pasta, garlic bread or in any recipe where garlic butter with herbs, a touch of nuttiness and the merest whisper of anchovy would bring additional savor.
My recipe is classic and benefits from the non-traditional extra touches of chervil and tarragon.
Enjoy this recipe with gusto, my Citizens! 🙂
Battle on – The Generalissimo
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1 anchovy fillet
1 large bunch flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon minced chervil
1 teaspoon minced tarragon
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1 shelled hazelnut
4 cloves garlic
1 medium shallot
1 pound unsalted butter, slightly salted
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
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Rinse the anchovy fillet under cold water and pat dry. Remove the parsley leaves from the stem and place in the bowl of a food processor with the coarse salt. Process briefly with an on-off motion.
Add the anchovy, chervil, tarragon and hazelnut and process until well-mixed. Peel the garlic cloves and shallot, add to the processor and mix again. Add butter and process to combine.
[…] These next changes may not find favor with die-hard West Virginians, but I like them and they are totally optional. To start, I like to brush the rolls once they are out of the oven with an herb and garlic butter. Specifically, it’s my recipe for the classic escargot butter from France. […]