Snails with Frogs' Legs
Submitted by snapshot22
Chopped snails simmered in wine with shallots and chives, then united with butter-sauteed frogs’ legs. A bold French main course for adventurous home cooks.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
1 hrsREADY
1 hrsThis is French countryside cooking at its most unapologetic.
Snails get chopped and simmered for an hour in wine with shallots and chives until the broth turns rich and concentrated. Meanwhile, frogs’ legs soak in milk to mellow them out, get a flour coating, and sear in butter until golden.
The two come together in the pan for a final five minutes, the wine-soaked snails melting into the buttery pan juices around the crispy legs.
Finish with a shower of fresh parsley and bring it straight to the table.
Chef Tips
- Soak the frogs’ legs in milk for the full hour. This draws out any gamey flavor and keeps the meat mild and tender.
- Keep the heat brisk when sauteing the legs so the flour coating gets properly golden, not soggy.
- The snail cooking liquid is the sauce. Don’t discard it. That wine-shallot-chive reduction is what ties the whole dish together.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook the snails in advance in a court bouillon, then remove them from their shells.
Chop them, together with the peeled shallots and a small bunch of well-washed chives.
Place these ingredients in a saucepan with the wine, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, soak the frogs’ legs in the milk for 1 hour.
Drain them, then roll in flour and sauté in the butter in a frying pan over a brisk heat for 10 minutes.
Add the snails, together with their cooking juices, and season with salt and pepper.
Turn up the heat and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
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